Becoming a Swan
by AJDreamz
Summary: When police discover the daughters of Renée Swan, a woman kidnapped back in 1992 as a teenager, what will it take to put the Swan family back together again?
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! This is my first time publishing something, so constructive criticism and comments are welcome!

I have had this story/plot-line/characters in my head for some time, and wanted to take a shot at actually writing it.

I do not own the characters or Twilight because I'm not Stephanie Meyers. I am merely having a little fun…

My mistakes are my own…Feel free to let me know what you think…

Summary: When police discover the daughters of Renée Swan, a woman kidnapped back in 1992 as a teenager, what will it take to put the Swan family back together again?

Rated M due to sensitive material (i.e. mention of rape)

Canon couples will appear eventually...

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**Normal Teenager**

What is a _normal_ teenager?

Waking up alone, stretched out across the bed, would be a normal occurrence for the average 15-year-old on a Monday morning.

Hearing the alarm, reaching over and smacking the nightstand beside the bed until finally landing on that beloved little snooze button, would be the customary beginning of the teenager's weekday.

Scrambling around like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to get showered and looking presentable for their peers, would be a daily event in a standard teenager's life.

Reaching the kitchen to grab a pop-tart and juice before running out the door to beat the first warning bell, would be the usual morning routine in the household of an average student.

Loitering in the hallways to subtly watch the beautiful boys and girls meet at the 'popular' hangout, before running down the hallway to avoid getting a detention for being late to class- a third time- would be the basic and sturdy foundation of the life of a common high schooler.

School continues to drag on with stimulating, or not so stimulating, subjects that are supposed to help prepare students for a future career and the rest of their lives. An average high school student would scoff and refuse to see past the next 4 years of their lives. They may look forward to the freedom of college, but now with all of their friends surrounding them, they may never want their time in high school to end.

Most 15 year olds look forward to driving, going to the school dance, Friday night football games, shopping and hanging out at the mall, parties, Prom, or really any type of socializing with their friends.

Normal, healthy, American teenagers are unable to grasp how much they take for granted by just living a _normal_ life.

I am 15 years old and my life was not considered _normal_.

I wake up on Monday morning praying my sister and I haven't overslept and missed our one chance to shower for the week. I have never slept in a bed alone, and our alarm clock hasn't worked for about 4 years. I have never had to worry about what to wear each day because I only have 5 sets of clothing that I have to share with my sister.

I have never eaten a pop-tart or any breakfast food a regular teenager would consider normal. Typically, my sister and I are forced to prepare meals for _them_, yet we are not allowed to eat any of it ourselves. On a good day, if we are lucky, we get their leftovers. Otherwise we receive a piece of fruit or a sludgy, cold mixture that _he_ called soup.

Instead of a detention slips for not being on time, we get hit, punched, or kicked if our chores are not done in a timely manner. Instead of dull classes, my sister and I teach ourselves the material out of the text books that _they_ stole from a 'colleague'.

I honestly could not imagine what might happen 4 years from now. I have always lived my life from day-to-day and hoped that nothing bad would happen. I spent my time by dreaming of what my life would be like if I could drive, meet new people, go to places like the library or zoo, shop at the mall, or even sit in a classroom with an _actual_ teacher.

My life is not that of a normal teenager. My life is not considered my own.

My mother was 14 years old when she was kidnapped. Although our mother loves us, my sister and I were not conceived willingly. We were conceived as an experiment, punishment, and because of _their_ enjoyment of torturing my mother. _He_ liked to show his power and ego, and used my mother as an example. Although we did not fully understand what he constantly did to her when we were sent to another room, until we were older, we always understood that whatever he did to Mom was bad. _Extremely_ bad.

In the past, my mother was constantly taken from us - outside the cabin - without any explanations about why, and she would return to us a short time later. In the last few years however, she disappeared randomly for months at a time. When she returned she was always more withdrawn, like the light had dimmed a little more in her eyes. She refused to tell us what happened, and I believe it is to protect us from whatever hell she had been through. The last time they took her, she never returned. It has been almost a half-year since we've last seen her. I don't know her well-being or if she is even alive anymore.

I know I cannot question her whereabouts to _them_ because I have learned that it is dangerous to ask questions or get angry around our captors. The vast consequences are not worth the anger or inquisition. My twin sisters are an example of that.

When I was 8 years old, my 5-year-old twin sisters were sold off by_ him _because my older sister got angry for being ignored and not getting answers to her questions_._ The result of her yelling was a glass vase thrown at us and the disappearance of the twins the next day. The tiny scars along my left arm, from the shards of the shattered glass cutting into my skin, are constant reminders that everything we do has consequences. _He_ woke us up the next morning after the incident almost giddy with the news that he sold the twins on the black market. He sold his own children like they were nothing. He said it was just like selling an old, worthless object to the highest bidder on e-bay. My days are now lived in fear that if I put one toe out of line _he_ will sell me or my sister on the black market too.

The question my sister had demanded to know that day was why we weren't allowed to go outside and play, like the _normal_ kids in her storybook.

And now, ironically, here I am questioning what normal is. I know and understand the definition and from what I've read about the outside world, my life is far from what most people consider normal.

Normal teenage activities such as driving, homecoming, prom, or even staying up late and having fun were things that only happened in my books or in the pages of the old magazines _she_ would give to us for 'good behavior'.

So yes, I would consider myself abnormal. I don't have a life resembling most teenagers.

My name is Isabella Swan, and I have lived my entire life in captivity.

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AN: Well? Please review and let me know what you think!

Thanks!- AJ


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: When police discover the daughters of Renée Swan, a woman kidnapped back in 1992 as a teenager, what will it take to put the Swan family back together again?

AN: Hey guys! Thanks to all of you who have given my story a chance!

I do not own anything - it all belongs to Stephanie Meyer! I'm just having a little fun with her characters...

Please leave a review! It would seriously make my day! :)

This is un-beta'd, so let me know if you see anything I missed...

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**Found**

I sat up with alarm. _Something_ had jarred me out of my sleep. I sat there and listening closely to find the source of whatever woke me from my slumber. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I looked over to my sister. Whatever woke me up had absolutely no effect on Alice. As usual, she was sprawled out across her side of the bed snoring quietly. One leg was haphazardly over the side, while the other was tangled in our thin yellow blanket. An arm was draped over her head, while the other was almost hitting me in the stomach. During the night, her long brown hair had mostly escaped the confines of the braid I had put it in before bed. Her locks were now lying across the pillow and part of her face. Like in her consciousness, Alice was all over the place when she slept.

I looked around our basement home. The solid gray concrete walls seemed cold, impenetrable, and unyielding. The hard beige concrete floor was only covered by a single old, small threadbare rug that had been there for as long as I could remember. In the summer months, when I was tired of what little bed space I had because of my mom and sisters, I would always make my bed on the rug. During the winter months however, we appreciated the warmth of sleeping so close together because the basement was often drafty and cold. Since it was February, I stuck close to Alice to try to conserve body heat under the thin blanket. Without the twins and my mom, the bed seemed pretty empty and cold. Our full-sized mattress was a brownish color and sat on the ground against the wall. The springs were old and a few were poking out down at the bottom of the bed. We had to be careful at night because the springs would sometimes pinch the skin around our feet if we landed on them wrong. Directly across from the foot of our bed was the stairs. Years ago, mom moved the mattress so that when we were lying in bed we could see if anyone was at the landing at the top of the stairs. She said putting it there would help her protect us better because she could see _them_ coming.

I looked up the creaky, wooden stairs, and could not see any light penetrating the crack at the bottom of the door. I don't believe _they_ were back yet, because it was far too quiet. I concluded that the sound I heard must have come from an animal outside in the woods.

I moved Alice's arm from my side and laid back down on the bed hoping to get a few more hours of sleep. I debated whether I should use the bathroom before getting comfortable. Underneath the stairs was our 'bathroom', which consisted of a sheet nailed to the stairwell hiding the medieval looking chamber pot and a small sample-sized bottle of anti-bacterial gel. We used the pot sparingly when _they_ went away, as the smell usually got unbearable towards the end of the week from not being emptied daily. _His_ rules dictated that we weren't allowed into the rest of the house while they were gone. He locked us down in the basement because 'we have not earned his trust'. Anytime they were gone for a while, time always seemed to drag by because we did not have our daily chores to do upstairs. Besides reading and drawing, there was not much else we could do besides sleep. I was thankful that he allowed us to have books and blank sheets of paper, or else we would have gone mad a long time ago.

Sparse drawings and magazine pictures that my sisters and I collected were taped up on the surround walls. Mom always said that it was the equivalent of her putting our artwork on the kitchen fridge. She yearned for the normalcy of being a proud mother who displayed her children's accomplishments. She thought our attempt to make the space more like a home, with our artwork and cut-out pictures, was the closest she would ever get to being a normal mom. Our artwork also made the cold walls look slightly more inviting. Although it did not look as impressive as the upstairs where_ they_ lived, I thought the pictures made our home look nice and more like 'us'. Mom claimed that the thing that made our basement seem most like a regular home were the two tall, wooden bookshelves in the corner - also known as our 'library'. The shelves were stacked with our books and magazines that have been collected since Alice was three.

Books were the one privilege we still had. We were once allowed the luxury of a little soft music until _they_ claimed we made too much noise and _he_ smashed the little radio into pieces. Reading, drawing, and writing became our escape. Teaching us how to read was one of the only things _she_ allowed our mother to do. _She_ claimed we were ignorant, and that she didn't want any illiterates living under _her_ roof. Mom didn't care what _she_ thought; Mom looked at that allowance as a small victory. Mom started reading to us when I was about two years old. From then on, Alice and I took to books like fish to water. Mom was proud of how interested we were in learning, as she was such an avid reader herself. Books such as: The Hungry Caterpillar, The Cat in the Hat, Where the Wild Things Are, The Mitten; then later Charlotte's Web, The Giver, and Anne of Green Gables were our favorites. The books were all old and previously used or stolen library books with some wear and tear. Some of the pages were ripped, worn, and dirty, but they truly made our world a better place.

As we got older _she_ used books and magazines to manipulate us into doing whatever she wanted. A magazine or book a week was rewarded to us if she was satisfied with our work. _She_ was hard to please, but always kept her , _she_ would also take our books away quicker than lightning if we made any sort of mistake. Alice recently became hooked on teen magazines such as Seventeen and People. Although the issues we got were usually almost a year old, Alice claimed it helped her feel more connected to the world by knowing what other kids our age liked. I preferred the old newspapers we were given because I liked to know what was going on in the world outside our little cabin in the woods - even if the news was weeks old. I also treasure the fiction novels we were given because they allowed me to dream of a normal life outside our basement.

Magazine, newspaper, or book, we soaked up knowledge like a sponge and learning came easy to us. By the time the twins came along, Alice and I were able to read our story books to them. They were just as bright as we were, picking up skills at an alarming rate. Mom was always so proud that we were all reading before our 4th birthdays. I'm incredibly grateful we inherited our mother's gift for learning. _He_ tries to claim our 'smarts' came from him, but we all knew the truth. Before mom was kidnapped, she had already skipped a grade and was taking college classes at the University close by. Supposedly our grandfather wanted her to skip high school all together, but our grandmother wouldn't allow her to miss 'invaluable socializing skills and experience'. Mom missed out on high school anyway.

Deciding that I would most likely not fall back asleep, I looked to the only view of the outside we had from the basement. The bit of light coming in from the two small window wells by the ceiling suggested it was not really time to get up yet. I turned over on my right side to face the clock that read a hardly visible 5:50 am. Even though the alarm never made a sound, the little, black windup clock usually kept time pretty well. My body knew that it was not time to get up, and yet I still felt as if I had been suddenly shaken awake.

BANG…BANG… BANG

"Whos-it-what?" Alice mumbled as she sat up abruptly. The banging coming from upstairs seemed to shake the entire cabin. We could feel the vibrations from the wall by our heads. I looked to my sister and tried to read the expression on her surprised face. Even though she was normally the better actress out of the two of us, I could always read her expressions and know what she was really thinking. Right now, she was as confused as I was.

"What do you think that was?" I whispered. We learned from getting the music taken away how easily sound must traveled from the basement to the upper level, therefore whispering was a must.

"I don't know. She's not supposed to be back until tomorrow. We still have water and granola bars left," she whispered as she scrambled out of bed to recount out our rations.

"Well then, what do you think-"

BANG…BANG…CRASH

From where we were sitting it sounded as if the door had been smashed to bits. To us that seemed impossible because there were at least 5 deadbolts attached to the front door. We scrambled to change out of our dirty nightgowns to our day clothes as quickly as we could. We hurriedly pulled our socks and holey shoes on, bypassing trying to tie together the broken laces. I knew _he_ had a warped sense of humor and found punishing us amusing. So if this was _his_ idea of a test, I did not want to fail.

Alice ran up the stairs, grabbing my arm as I tripped on a step, and ran to the basement entryway. The door was locked from the outside, and we were expected to be waiting in that spot until _he_ deemed us _worthy_ to be let out. Mom always said this made her feel like some unruly dog that had to be caged each night.

We could clearly hear movement outside our door, and yet we could not hear _his_ usual heavy stomping or the turning on of the television. Those were two things that Alice and I have come to associate with _him_. I started to feel nervous. There was a soft murmur and then beeping before we heard male voices talking back and forth.

"Hey Boss, look what I found here."

"That's good Joe, bag it."

I looked to Alice in fright. We didn't hear any hints of _his_ gruff voice or _her _squeaky, high-pitched voice. It clearly wasn't any voices that we recognized! These guys were not here with _them_. It actually sounded as if they were stealing from them! If anything went missing, I knew the blame would fall to us, even if we were locked in the basement the whole time. I looked to Alice and saw that we were on the same wavelength about being at fault for the break-in. I was unsure about what to do, but I could see the resolution in Alice's eyes- she was determined to actually do something. For the first time since the twins were taken, Alice cautiously went up to try to open the door. The creaking of the old, wooden floor board had her pausing in place. She stood by the door listening carefully. The voices did not seem to pause in their talking. I highly doubted they realized we were here. I knew the basement door was hard to find unless you were looking for it because it was hidden in the pantry of the kitchen. From the volume of their voices, it didn't sound like they had made it to the kitchen yet. With the option of facing _his_ punishment and the unknown intruders, Alice and I would choose the unknown intruders every time.

She slowly tried to turn the knob and discovered it was not locked. Alice looked back and me with surprise and disbelief. She turned back to the door and tried to push the door gently, as to not alert the intruders of our entry, and came to an abrupt halt. Alice tried pushing again, before again coming to a stop. She then shoved her whole body weight into the door pushing for all she was worth. The lock on the doorknob was not actually locked, but there was what looked like a padlock with a lock keeping us inside. I came up next to her to help her push. With our combined weight the hinge surprising gave a little. It looked like the lock's hinge was old with use and the screws weren't as tight as they used to be. We may get lucky enough to get out of the basement and try to stop the intruders from taking anything. I hoped that maybe if we explain to them how much trouble we would be in, they would reconsider taking anything. I didn't really know what our plan would be once we got out, but I knew we had to face them. Our lives depended on it. The voices of the unknown men seemed to actually grow in number. There seemed to be a lot of talking and commotion going on in the living room, so no one seemed to hear or notice me and Alice shoving ourselves against the door.

Realizing that pushing wasn't going to work, I stood back for a moment to try to figure out an easier way to break the hinge. Immediately after I stepped back Alice fell to the ground, sprawled out on the floor at the feet of a man in the doorway. My eyes were suddenly blinded by a bright light. When the man had opened the door, he happened to shine the flashlight in my eyes.

"Freeze! Police! Hands where I can see 'em! Who..how- My God, you look like just a kid." He said with astonishment still shining the flashlight in my eyes. He looked down at Alice before reached down and lifting her to stand next to me.

"Hey Boss, it looks like drugs weren't the only thing Hunter had here illegally!" someone shouted from behind the flashlight with a chuckle.

"What the-," 'Boss' said coming to stand in front of the flashlight man. Boss lifted the man's arm holding the flashlight so light was shined at the ceiling as he came to stand in front of us.

"What in the world are you young girls doing here?" Boss demanded while looking back and forth between the two of us.

I looked at Alice with alarm. I suddenly realized the folly of our earlier plans. Rule number one was to not ever try to leave the basement without being let out. We already broke that rule, and now we were working on breaking another one- don't speak unless given permission. If _he_ found out, we were as good as sold, or worse. I looked at the men in front of me. They looked to be wearing uniforms, and had badges on their chest pocket. I was guessing they were police officers from the detailed descriptions mom gave us when we were little. We weren't supposed to talk at all without permission, but if these were real cops, like I suspected, then maybe we could finally find our mother and her family. I nodded to Alice to talk, either way I knew if _he_ walked in now we would be in trouble.

"W-w-we live here, sir." Alice stuttered. She was normally the strong, calm one in front of authority figures. However, this conversation held more weight than any conversation we've ever had before. This meeting had the potential to get us out of the basement and away from _him_ for good.

"Live here? How in the world do you live here?" He asked with disdain. He shined his own flashlight to the concrete floor below. I wasn't sure if the disgust shown on his face was from the smell wafting from the basement below or of our living space being in the basement. Mom always described her room at her home before being kidnapped, and our basement home differed greatly from what she said a normal bedroom would be like.

"Where are your parents? Neither of you look to be older than 16. What's your name girl?" He asked Alice, still shining his flashlight around the basement.

Alice again looked to me to make sure I was still on board for her talking and cooperating with these strangers. "My name is Alice, sir. Mary Alice. I believe I just turned 17 years old, and I've lived here my whole life. We have never left the cabin."

The cabin seemed silent after her statement. Now that the flashlight was no longer pointed in my face, I could faintly see the faces of the officers surrounding the entryway. The look of disbelief seemed to cover each of their faces. I could hear whispers of 'Never left?', 'surely she doesn't mean she actually lives here', and 'this must be some kind of joke'.

"Lower your weapons!" Boss shouted with authority as he continued to stare at us. It wasn't until that moment that I notice at least five guns pointed at Alice and I. The situation and cold of the basement caused me to involuntary tremble. I wanted to continue my façade of being strong, especially in front of these armed men, but I could not get a handle on my shaking body and sweaty palms.

"You two live here? Where are your parents?" Boss asked much more gently.

I began to worry my lip. His tone was bordering on condescending, which is the one tone that sets Alice off. We may have learned to never yell back, but Alice's way of rebelling was to give the person 'the evil eye' and not answer or talk at all. I knew Alice's guard was up and she wouldn't tell them anything without being specifically questioned about it. Getting answers out of her now would be like pulling teeth.

"We don't know where our parents are," Alice stated quietly. I was silently impressed with how tough my sister was. We were about the same size, yet she stood slightly in front of me looking strong in front of a group of men who towered over us. She was inspiring. I wanted to be strong too.

"Are you looking for James and Victoria?" I asked, with a bit of a flinch. As soon as the words left my mouth, I immediately realized my error. Not only did I speak out of turn, but I also asked a question. Alice looked back at me with surprise. This was not my typical behavior; I was usually much more cautious. We knew to never ask questions and we never called _them_ by their first names - ever- because we weren't allowed to. In private, Master James and Mistress Victoria were known as _him_ and _her_.

I immediately felt bad for speaking as I could see and feel Alice tensing up. She was readying herself for the blow. As my older sister, Alice felt it was her duty to protect me, because I was the only sister she had left. With James or Victoria we knew a slap to the face would be the standard result of talking out of turn. However, the reaction and punishment from these foreign men was currently unknown. Alice slowly turned back to Boss and awaited the punishment that was supposed to be mine. He looked at us with curiosity instead of the expected anger and answered my question.

"Yes, we are looking for one James Hunter Jr. We have been trying to track him down for weeks now. Ms. Victoria Volturri and Mr. Fredric Laurent, however, we have in custody." Boss answered without hesitation.

Alice gasped and looked at me with shock. Adults usually never told us anything if we asked a question. We were usually either punished or in a best case scenario - ignored. But these men not only gave us news, they gave us good news to boot. Victoria was in jail and they were looking to put James there? Is it possible that we could finally leave this cabin? Alice started to furrow her brow which meant that she was thinking deeply about all the repercussions of what a confession about our situation would do to us. What if James came back before we left and got out of whatever crime he was accused of? What if we got out of here and James found us? What would happen if our mother came back and we weren't here? What would they do to us if they couldn't find our mother? Would they be able to contact our grandparents, Charlie and Sue Swan? Would our grandparents even want to meet us? While I watched each question cross Alice's face, I tried to tell her that we had to try. Mom always told us no matter the consequences, with or without her, if we had the chance to escape the cabin we had to try as hard as we could. There was no guarantee that we would ever be presented with another opportunity to get away from James again.

While Alice and I were having our nonverbal conversation, the officers had started a separate discussion among themselves. It wasn't until we were each handed a blanket and water bottle that we realized we had been in our own little bubble for about 5 minutes. The blankets were thick, gray, and soft. I had never felt something so soft and warm before. I snuggled into the blanket covering my shoulders. It was much thicker and warmer than the frayed yellow blanket we slept with each night.

After handing us the blankets, Boss ushered us into the living room and gently pushed us to sit on the couch. The brown leather couch squeaked as we sat down and tried to situate ourselves. I smiled a little to myself. This was our first time sitting on a couch. I wasn't expecting to feel how comfortable, smooth, and soft the leather was.

Looking up around the room, I noticed the officers rushing about quietly in a seemingly structured fashion. The officers reminded me of serious worker ants as they rushed around the house working together, and putting certain items into clear plastic bags. Once it seemed as if they had found a rhythm, Boss came to sit on the coffee table in front of us with a notebook and pen. A woman in police gear stood behind his chair alert and silent.

"Well girls, let's get to it. I'm Chief of Police around these parts, Chief Forge. I'm the boss around here and will be running this whole little investigation. Alright?" He paused and waited for us to nod. "So you are Mary Alice, and you are…" Boss looked at me to finish his statement.

"I'm Bella. I mean-I mean Isabella. Mom named me Isabella, but I liked to be called Bella." I said with a tremble. Even under the warmth of the blanket, I was still afraid and slightly shaking. I was still wary of what would happen or if he could really help us. James always said that the police wouldn't believe a snot-nosed, lying, troubled teenager. He told us it would be hard to get the authorities to believe our story over his. James called himself a 'master manipulator'.

Boss sat there writing notes into his notepad very studiously. The woman continued to stand there like a statue. She was so still that it became hard to look at her. Boss however was full of movement and making small 'hmm' sounds as he continued to write. He would look up at us every so often before continuing on with his written observations.

"Right. And you two are both 17 years old?"

"Bella is 15. Her birthday is in September." Alice answered, as we both watched as Boss wrote down all of our information.

"Okay. So Bella is 15, and you are 17. So, I'm guessing you two had gotten in a bit a trouble to have ended up with Hunter. Did you two run away from home? Who are your parents and what's a good number that I can reach them at?" Boss asked without looking up from his notebook.

Alice opened and closed her mouth about three times before looking at me. I could see a bit of anger simmering in her eyes at the accusation that it was our fault for being here. She was in a dangerous mood. A mood in which she was more daring and liked to test the limits. She tended to become shorter with me when we were stuck in the basement for a week, and Boss seemed to unknowingly step into her crossfire. I started to shake more at the thought that these men and women could really hurt us if Alice got really upset and said something they didn't like.

"Well, James is our father and the one who kidnapped our mother." Alice said quickly, without tact. She looked a little defiant, but I could feel her slightly shaking the couch we sat on. I could see in her face that she was starting to shut down. She was already giving up. She didn't think Boss was going to believe our story. She didn't believe we would get help from these people. She already assumed we would be put in foster homes, like the one James said he grew up in. Or they could put us in an orphanage separated. Or worse if they did not buy our story they could send us to the crazy ward in the hospital - the one that Victoria said Alice belonged in because of her 'feelings' and tendency to be right about certain future events. Her 'sight' was usually random and wasn't always reliable, but Alice depended on it to keep us safe. The unknown was Alice's greatest fear and it was now staring her directly in the face.

Boss looked up from his notebook and looked from me to Alice and then back again. He was trying to figure out what was going on and why Alice's tone was suddenly so cold. The look on his face initially indicated that he believed Alice was joking. I could also tell that the slight tremble in her voice and serious expression on her face were starting to perplex this veteran Chief of Police. Even though her delivery was tactless, she seemed earnest.

"Our mother? Well, we haven't seen our mother in months. James lets Doc take her all the time, but this time he hasn't brought her back." Alice continued. When I looked into her eyes I see that she was closer to completely losing it and had already built up a brick wall of her emotions. By bluntly stating the facts of our situation, Boss _was_ having a hard time believing her. Her matter-of-fact attitude made it seem like she was being sarcastic, lying, or making up a story off the top of her head. I knew the only way to save us was to use our mother. She always said that if we ever met outside people- people not associated with James- all we had to do was tell them her name and help would be guaranteed. She said that the name 'Swan' carried a lot of weight and acknowledgement in the outside world. We had been waiting for this very situation our entire lives. We had to use her name, _our_ name, it was the only way to save ourselves.

I took a deep breath.

"Our mother is Renée Marie Swan. _The_ Renée Swan, daughter of Charles Swan III and Mary Suzanne Swan of CS Inc. She was kidnapped from Forks, Washington on December 26, 1992 by James Hunter Jr. for money and revenge or maybe just because he's a bad man- I'm not really sure. We've lived here in this cabin everyday of our lives because we have never been let free. He won't let us go." I said as quickly as I could. I was shaking and I looked down to my hands to see them engulfed in Alice's. We were practically holding each other waiting for the reaction that would decide the rest of our lives.

The woman behind Boss gasped. The notebook and pen Boss was holding dropped to the floor. The room suddenly became silent and the officers' work came to a halt. Boss' hands were shaking almost as much as mine were, as he slowly lifted his head. I knew as he looked at me that he would only see the truth of my statement in my eyes. I could see his mind slowly trying to process and comprehend what I was saying. He looked back and forth between Alice and I with suspicion, but I knew if he looked closely he would see the similarities between us and our mother when she was younger. He examined everything from our face, to our posture, to our clothes. I watched as his head started to tilt and his brown eyes start to fill with tears. His expression began to change as he started to regard me and my sister as the daughters of the 14-year-old kidnapped girl, Renée Swan. _The_ Renée Swan - missing daughter of one of the wealthiest couples on the West Coast. He now understood that we weren't disobedient, troubled run-aways. We never asked to be here- we were kept here. We were victims. Mom was a victim.

Boss cleared his throat and struggled to get his composure. "My God, it has been 20 years. Can the Swan girl really be alive?"

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What do you think? Please, please, please leave a review! I would really appreciate it!

Also- Those of you on the East Coast of the US dealing with Hurricane Sandy, please stay safe! xoxo

Until next time - AJ


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Hey Guys! So I would like to apologize for taking so long with this post. Hurricane Sandy and the nor'easter definitely put a damper in things for a while (some of my family that lives at the Jersey Shore came to stay with us, so my house became a hotel for a week). Thankfully no one was hurt, and their houses didn't have too much damage. Hopefully you all stayed safe, and have power! So anyway, here is the next chapter! Let me know what you think...

I do not own anything...totally wish I did, but alas I do not!

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**Brand New**

February 20, 2012

As I looked out the window of the police SUV, I thought about how quickly my life had changed. I was beginning to feel like a different person, living a different life. A brand _new_ person. A few short hours ago, the thought of being allowed outside in the wooded forest surrounding the cabin was unimaginable. Now here I am sitting in a car for the very first time. I felt giddy as I bounced a little in the leather seat. Chief Waylon Forge, who I still referred to as 'Boss', was in the front seat driving alongside 5 other police SUVs and cruisers to the nearest hospital to get Alice and I checked out. Boss claimed that he normally would have followed protocol and called for an ambulance, but he didn't think the ambulance could fit down the narrow, unpaved road leading to the cabin. He deemed our health stable enough to travel the 50 minutes to the nearest hospital. He said it took them almost 20 minutes trying to navigate down the path to the cabin, which made the cabin extremely hard to find. He never mentioned how they came across the cabin in the first place, but Alice and I were too afraid to ask.

Like mom suggested, Chief Forge's attitude changed immediately once hearing the name 'Swan'. He became more alert and started paying us more attention than his clipboard.

_~BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS~_

_Boss cleared his throat and struggled to get his composure. "My God, it has been 20 years. Can the Swan girl really be alive?"_

_Alice and I remained silent as we watched Boss collect himself. He continued to look at us, searching for Renee's features. After thoroughly examining us, he leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest. Boss originally came across as a tough guy with a hard exterior, but now he seemed soft, emotional, and a little sentimental. He cleared his throat again before beginning to address us._

"_You know, I was one of the officers on Renée's case 20 years ago. I got to know Charlie and Sue Swan pretty well. I also learned a lot about Renee through the Swans and Renee's younger brother, Sam. Throughout the case, we had numerous hoaxes looking for a payout. Their stories never quite matched up. Something was always missing in their stories, or their facts were slightly wrong. I'm not going to lie, your story seems extremely far-fetched," Boss paused while looking critically at us. "But with you two, I can somehow tell that you are telling the truth."_

_I felt, rather than heard, Alice's sigh of relief. "We are sir. Everything we have told you is the truth." _

"_Chief, you can't honestly believe what they are claiming. How do we really know they are telling the truth and not in it to get the Swans' money? I studied the case file extensively in the academy, and every person that stepped forward was lying," the woman behind Boss loudly whispered into his ear._

"_Would you like to ask them a question only those close to Renée would know?" Boss answered back with a smirk. He seemed amused that the lady detective doubted his judgement. She nodded to him before quickly scribbling a question down on her notebook. She ripped the page out and handed it to Boss. He stayed quiet for a moment, before asking us the question that I prayed we knew the answer to._

"_What was Renee's favorite piece of jewelry?" Boss asked. I immediately froze. As far as I knew, Mom wasn't allowed to keep any of her jewelry, and I never talked to her about it.  
_

"_James took all of mom's jewelry," I whispered to Alice. _

_Alice just nodded to me before confidently turning back to Boss and the lady detective to answer her question. "Her locket was her favorite. She was wearing it the day she was kidnapped. Mom got it for her 13th birthday from her father. When I became interested in the jewelry in my magazines, Mom used to tell me how beautiful her locket was. She said it was a round, white gold locket with an aquamarine stone in the middle. Mom said the top had an intricate design and it had small diamonds making it shimmer in the light. She always wished she had it to show us pictures of what our family looked like." _

_Boss crumbled the sheet of paper with the question on it and turned back to the lady detective with a smug smile on his face. She gave a little huff before turning back to her notepad furiously writing._

"_Did people really lie about knowing where our mother was?" Alice quietly asked._

_Boss sighed and agitatedly rubbed the top of his bald head. "Right after Renée's disappearance, we got calls across Washington claiming they knew where to find her and who took her. Then the ransom notes came in asking for money. After working tirelessly on this case for months, we concluded that the ransom notes were by different people working together. The notes all resembled each other, but were all remarkably different in writing style. It was frustrating because they were always able to evade us. It was almost like they always expected our next move, but we could never predict theirs. We suspected there was someone on the force helping them, or tipping them off, but we never had any leads and it was never proven. So, it was mass chaos until the kidnappers told us back in 1994 that they were no longer able to give Renée back. The officers took that to mean that they killed her. We all lost hope. I just can't believe after all of these years, little Renee Swan is alive!" Boss exclaimed._

"_I-we don't really know for sure, sir." I tentatively stated. After no sign of Doc or our mom for three months, Alice and I began to mourn our mother. Doc never kept mom this long before, so the only conclusion we could come to was that she was no longer alive. Alice and I struggled for months at the possibility of her death and the last thing I wanted to do was give false hope to Boss. "The last time we saw her was around the summer of last year. Doc took her and never brought her ba- back." _

_Boss' eyebrows drew together into a frown. I wasn't sure if it was me or Alice, but the couch was vibrating with our nerves. Without our mother would we be denied help? Boss says he believes us, but what about other people? The lady detective barely believed us, wouldn't others be skeptical too? Mom was really the only one who could prove our identities. As far as I knew, Alice and I didn't have real birth certificates. Well, unless they were made by Doc or James. Obviously that was little help to us now, considering James was on the run from the police and Doc had taken off somewhere with our mother. Whenever our mother was gone with Doc, James would always tell us that if our mother never came back, nothing in our lives would change. He claimed that because he was genetically our father, no one could take us away from him. No one outside of James' acquaintances knew of our existence outside the cabin, so no one could verify who we were. James said people would believe whatever story he told them opposed to us telling the truth. I hoped and prayed that he was wrong._

"_Doc? As in Doctor? Who is this Doctor?" Boss asked almost excitedly. The woman behind him continued to scribble away on her notepad._

"_Doc's name is Doctor Banner. I-We don't know his first name besides the fact that it starts with J. I'm not sure what kind of doctor he is, but he calls himself a 'researcher'. I think he does something with genetics- I once overheard him talking about recessive genes." Alice answered.  
_

"_Recessive genes?" The woman behind Boss skeptically asked with a raised eyebrow. She scoffed, "Do you even know what experiments and genetics are? If you supposedly grew up in this environment, how do you understand anything? Can you even read little girl?" It was the first time the lady officer had spoken directly to us, and her blatant disbelief made me feel like no one outside of Boss would ever take us seriously. _

_Before Alice or I could think of anything to do or say, Boss sharply chimed in. "If you had looked closely at their primitive living quarters in the basement, Detective, you would have seen the massive bookcase that took over the right-hand corner. Clearly they've had some kind of instruction, 'cause I doubt those books were there for decoration."_

_Alice perked up at his defense of our intelligence. No one had openly defended us before without being dealt some kind of retribution afterwards._

"_Our mother is extremely smart. She could have done anything she wanted if she had gotten a chance to go to college. She taught us how to read from a very early age. It was really the only thing they let us have," Alice stated in a quiet, frosty tone._

_The lady officer opened and shut her mouth a few times. She started to look embarrassed. Her face began to turn red, and I wasn't sure if it was because she was angry Alice spoke back to her, or because she was embarrassed to be proven wrong in front of her boss. I kept my eye on her ready to defend myself from her attack. Dealing with Victoria for years, Alice and I learned that women could be just as dangerous as men, especially when they have a sharp object to hurt you with._

"_I think you owe the girls an apology, detective. I'm sure you wouldn't want people to say that you were rude and disregarded the victims' feelings, now would you?" Boss asked her with a hint of anger in his tone. He didn't seem happy with the lady officer's constant interference._

"_Sorry sir," the woman stated properly chastised. She glanced at us in embarrassment, "I'm sorry for being rude and doubting your intelligence. It was not my intention." She then looked back down at her notebook, staring blankly at the page. _

"_Back to this Doctor Banner. His first name starts with a J. I'm assuming you don't know where he takes your mother-" he waited for the shaking of our head before continuing on. "Can you tell me anything else about him? Can you describe what he looks like? Hair color, eyes, tall, short, anything?"_

_Alice was fiddling with her shirt before she looked at me then back at Boss. "May I go get something from the basement?"_

_Boss looked flabbergasted and confused, "Uh…sure. I just didn't think either of you would ever want to go back down there."_

_Alice stood up from the couch with a content smile. "Don't worry, I'll be right back." _

_Boss smiled before gesturing for her to go ahead to the basement. Before I had any time to ponder over the fact that she left me alone with the strangers, she returned carrying an old notebook missing its cover. It was her drawing notepad. When Victoria gave it to her, half the pages were missing from the college-ruled, spiral notebook, but Alice treasured the paper she was given._

_She quickly flipped through a few pages before stopping and handing the notebook to Boss. Alice was a fantastic artist and could draw pretty much anything, but what she excelled at was sketching people. The notebook was filled with small doodles of flowers, trees, random objects, people she saw in her dreams, people in her teen magazines, and drawings of Mom, me, and the twins. In another section of the notebook, Alice had drawn the faces of James, Victoria, Doc, and a few of James' other 'colleagues'. _

"_Wow. These are amazing!" Boss said while flipping through the notebook. "You drew all of these Alice?"_

"_Ye-yes. I like to draw." Alice was a little in shock. No one outside of mom or I have ever given her a compliment, especially about her artwork. I squeezed her hand in encouragement; I always knew she was talented._

"_I have to agree. These are impressive, almost better than our sketch artist," the lady detective agreed with a small smile. After being properly chastised, she seemed earnest in trying to get our forgiveness. I think she also wanted to get back in Boss' good graces._

"_Detective Molina," Boss addresses the lady detective behind him. "Please put out an APB for Dr. J Banner and James Hunter. Here is a sketch of each. I want this out to every police station across Washington in the next few hours. Hunter and Banner are wanted for questioning for the kidnapping and disappearance of Renée Swan," Boss orders while handing over Alice's sketch._

"_Yes, of course Chief Forge," Detective Molina answered. She hesitated on leaving, "May I rip these pages out Alice? Otherwise your beautiful sketches will all be taken into evidence." Alice looked at her in shock and nodded her head. Detective Molina quickly and carefully ripped the two pages out of the notebook before handing it back to Alice. She smiled at us as she walked away. Her attitude did a complete 180 and I was still reeling from the whiplash._

_The officers coming in and out of the house seemed to steadily slow down. It seemed as if they were finishing up their work. Boss sighed before turning back to us. _

"_Well it looks like we have a long road of questioning for you two. But first we need to get you two checked out at a hospital. Now, I do not doubt your story, but I'm sure the Swans will want DNA test done on you two, to make sure you are who you say you are." Chief Forge stated. _

"_Mom already warned us about that," Alice shrugged. "She said anyone claiming to be a Swan would be scrutinized, especially since she was kidnapped."_

"_Well yes, she's right," Chief sighed. "But no matter what, things will get better. I promise."_

_~BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS-BAS~_

Things were already better, although Alice would disagree. Her knuckles were turning white with how tight she was holding onto the seat. She had her head back against the head rest with her eyes closed, pretending she was anywhere except a moving vehicle. After years of desiring to ride in a car, Alice seemed to want the experience over as quickly as possible. About 15 minutes into the bumpy drive through the woods, Alice started to get car sick. Once we hit a smoother road she began to feel better until she realized how fast we were traveling in relation to trees along the road.

"Are we there yet?" Alice softly groaned.

I chuckled a little. When mom spoke about her life before the kidnapping, one of her favorite memories was the week long fishing trip she took with her dad not long after her brother was born. As a four-year-old, she was excited for the one-on-one time with her father, and being away from a crying baby. Mom said that she must have asked 'are we there yet?' about 100 times before they actually arrived at the lake.

"Sorry Alice, it'll be another 15 minutes until we get there." Chief answered apologetically. He looked back at a pitiful Alice, who was starting to look a little green.

A few minutes later, there appeared to be more buildings lining the road. I stuck my head as close to the window as possible. I tried to see as much as I could and take it all in. I gently shook Alice's arm.

"Ali, look! There are so many buildings!" I quietly exclaimed. Alice hesitantly opened one eye before noticing all the different stores and shops we passed along the road. Looking at all the buildings and people, a wide smile appeared on her face, carsickness forgotten.

We seemed to be driving through the main part of town, before we turned into a big driveway. The huge building ahead was our final stop, the hospital. I'm not sure why, but from what I've read, most people fear the hospital. I wasn't sure if it was doctors, operations, or just the fear of pain and mortality. Either way, I was still eager for another new experience.

Walking through the entrance to the hospital seemed surreal and like a dream. We bypassed the room where sick patients were waiting and were taken to a private exam room. Boss was not allowed to come in the room with us, so he quickly said his goodbyes and promised to see us soon. He said his main priority was finding our mother and he wouldn't stop searching until he brought her home to us. He left us at the door of the exam room with a fire burning in his eyes. If anyone could find our mother, I had faith that Boss would be that person.

Alice and I entered the room and sat in the plastic chairs next to the sink. There was a long exam bed, along the wall that looked a little intimidating. We were told a doctor would soon be in to talk with us as they closed the door and left us alone. I barely had a chance to study the posters on the wall before an old woman with a clipboard entered the room.

"Which one of yous is Mary?" she asked in a raspy voice.

"I am. But I go by my middle name, Alice."

"Your mother named you Mary, so I will call you Mary. And so that makes you Isabella."

"Bella," I stated automatically. Alice elbowed me before giving me a 'be quiet' look.

"I don't do nicknames, Isabella. My name is Nurse Ratchet, and you may call me Nurse Ratchet. Now, Mary I want you to get on the scale for your weight and height." She said without looking at us. She started tapping her foot a second later when Alice hadn't moved yet.

"I said now, Mary. While we're still young," Nurse Ratchet stated with a condescending tone.

Alice hurriedly stepped on the scale and Nurse Ratchet adjusted the scale to her weight. "My, you are really underweight. Why don't you eat girl? You're not one of the anorexics are yous? I can't stand you young girls that refuse to eat a good meal. What is wrong with your generation? And stand up straight so I can measure you're height right!" She said while slapping Alice's back with her clipboard. Alice winced and stood as straight as she could.

"Excuse me, nurse. We ate everything-" Alice started in a quiet polite voice before being cut-off and slapped again with the clipboard.

"Children should be seen not heard," the nurse growled at her. Alice looked at me with wide eyes. It seems like Nurse Ratchet believed in James' rules. I could see from my seat that Alice had started to tremble. We had gotten away from James, but things did not seem as hopeful as they did in the car.

"Huh. Well, you are underweight and short. Your file says you are 17, and I'm having a hard time believing that. You look like a little girl. Maybe you're a little girl making up big stories, hmm?" she said while shaking her head at my sister. Alice just stood there silently and took all her criticism. This felt normal. This was the treatment that we were used to.

"Now move, so I can measure the other girl," the nurse spat at Alice while pushing her off the scale. "Get over here Isabella."

I shakily walked over to the scale and stood as straight as I could. I did not want a clipboard in my back. She measured my weight first, and although I was having a hard time trying to figure how much I weighed, I could tell I was under a 100 pounds. The nurse just glared at me, instead of issuing another long speech. She grabbed my arm, forcing my body to turn around so that my back was to the scale. She then measured my height. I could hear her grumble nonsensical words before I heard 5'3" under her breath. She continued to grumble as she pushed me off the scale in the direction of the plastic chairs. When she finished writing on her clipboard, she turned and walked out the room without a glance back at us. Once she closed the door, Alice and I felt like we could finally breathe again. The nurse acted just like Victoria would. I could tell Alice was worried that Mom was wrong, and this is how normal people acted.

When the door knob began to turn, Alice and I mentally prepared ourselves for battle. Instead of Nurse Ratchet, a young woman walked in with long brown hair and a friendly smile.

"Hello girls, I will be your nurse today. My name is Kate DeAngelo, but you guys can just call me Kate," she said with enthusiasm. I looked over at Alice confused. The difference between these two nurses was night and day. I wondered how many nurses we needed.

"Okay, so I've got your files and it says that Alice is 17 and Bella is 15. Correct?" she asked us. Alice and I just nodded our heads.

"Alright, and it says that you have possibly had contact with a Doctor while you were away. But the word on the street is that no one in the hospital knows of a Doctor Banner. So, what I'm going to do are a few simple things like measure your height, weight, and blood pressure to have on record. Dr. Gerardy will then come in and finish up your physicals. Do you have any questions so far?" Kate said with a smile directed at both of us. I looked at Alice confused why we'd need to have our weight and height checked again. I opened my mouth before immediately shutting it. What if this was a trick or trap? James always tricked us into talking. He always liked to play games resulting in us getting punished.

Kate looked back and forth between the two of us. "What's wrong girls? Do you have a problem with getting your height measured? I promise it doesn't hurt."

When I opened my mouth to speak to Kate, Alice elbowed me in the stomach and shook her head.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Kate asked softly. "You know that a real doctor is supposed to help and protect you. Whatever Doctor Banner did that has you so afraid, was not right. Here I'll show you." Kate skipped over to the scale and stood on it, moving the lever down to match her height. "Now you really need someone else to do this because it's hard to get the most accurate height doing it yourself. So, Bella why don't you come over here and I'll measure you."

Unsure if I was making a huge mistake or not, I decided to try talking to Kate. If this didn't work then we knew that mom was wrong and James' rules would have to be applied in the real world. "Bu-but we were al-al-already measured by the other nu-nurse." I whispered softly.

Kate just looked at me and tilted her head sideways. "Oh. Well, that's interesting. Do you remember which nurse?"

"Nurse Ratchet," Alice answered quietly.

Kate raised her eyebrow, "Nurse Ratchet? An old, plump lady that's really nasty? No wonder you two are afraid of me. Geez! At least it's not something I did. Phew!" She said while pretending to wipe her brow with the back of her hand.

"Okay, well that old biddy is gone now. So, let's get you guys settled, before Dr. Gerardy comes in."

Kate was extremely animated and enthusiastic when she talked to us. She told us that as soon as she heard about our case she immediately asked to be our nurse. Even though it was a one-sided conversation she never skipped a beat or ran out of things to say. She talked to us about her family, her job, the people she worked with, and her future goal of going back to school to become a doctor. I enjoyed listening to Kate talk about her life. It seemed like Kate was a genuinely sweet person and that Alice also really enjoyed her company. Kate talked to us through our physical exam with Dr. Gerardy, held our hands when we had to get blood taken or given shots, talked with us through our eye exam, and stayed on hand through each inspection.

It was dark outside when we arrived to our room in one of the upper floors of the hospital. After looking at her watch, Kate seemed to get extremely excited. She turned on the TV, and told us she had a surprise and that she'd be right back.

The television above Alice's bed came to life and the picture and voice of the newscaster began to appear. Alice was practically vibrating while sitting on the bed. This was our first time sitting and watching the television! We had always gotten severely punished if we were caught trying to catch glimpses of T.V. while doing our chores. The television was old and the picture grainy, but we were both so happy to get to do something Mom described as being completely normal. Alice and I watched the meteorologist predict the weather for the week before we caught the main story of the night.

"In breaking news, police are looking for two men potentially involved in a 20-year-old kidnapping case. The police have recently reopened the case when given evidence that the victim may _still_ be alive. After years of not having any suspects, the police were given names and physical descriptions on who the kidnappers may actually be. The man in the sketch to the right is known as James Hunter Jr. Police are looking for him for numerous other charges including drug trafficking, assault, and rape. The man shown on the left in this sketch goes by the name Doctor J. Banner. Police want them both brought in for questioning for the kidnapping of Renée Swan, daughter of Charles Swan CEO of CS Inc. Renée was kidnapped back in 1992, on the day after Christmas. She was walking home from a friend's house, but she never made it home. It is believed that the perpetrators targeted the Swan family due to their ownership in CS Inc, an innovative technological company that has produced life saving instruments that doctors and hospitals use around the country. Due to the sensitivity of the case, police have tried to keep it out of the media in the past, but tonight they are asking for your help. If you have seen either of these men, please contact our hotline at 1-800-555-3463."

Alice and I sat there in shock. Our mother was on the news! During the report not only did they show the sketches Alice gave to Boss, but they also showed a picture of mom before she was kidnapped. It was exciting seeing a picture of mom when she was our age, we had never seen photos of her before the kidnapping. We barely had time to fully comprehend what had just happened on the television when Kate reappeared with another woman carrying 2 duffel bags each.

"Phew! Those things are much heavier than they look!" Kate said to the woman with her.

"Yeah well, you didn't have to carry them up the steps!" the woman said back to Kate. The African-American woman looked to be in her late 20s. She must have been a doctor or nurse because she was wearing cartoon scrubs and had a badge clipped to the bottom of her shirt. Her dark brown hair was in a ponytail high on her head. She reminded me of Kate, and I prayed that she acted like her.

"So you two must be the girls the hospital is a buzz about. My name is Siobhan, and I'm a nurse here at Saint Elizabeth hospital," Siobhan said while shaking Alice's hand, then mine. Her smile was wide on her face and her eyes had a twinkle to them. I decided then that I liked Siobhan and Kate.

"I've talked with Dr. Gerardy and it was decided that Siobhan and I will be your nurses!" Kate explained excitedly while bouncing and clapping her hands.

"In other words, you girls don't have to be subjected to old lady Ratchet and her grouchy attitude again." Siobhan added with a smile. "Now," she said while rubbing her hands together, "Here comes the fun part!"

Siobhan began digging through the duffel bags and putting stuff on the bed beside Alice. She pulled out jeans, shirts, underwear, bras, socks, shoes, and other clothes that looked brand new. Kate had taken one of the other duffel bags into the bathroom.

After a few minutes of being in the bathroom, Kate walked back to Alice and I on the bed with her hands on her hips and a smirk covering her face. "Now, who wants to go first?"

Alice and I looked at one another with a shrug, and Alice raised her hand. "Oh, goody!" Kate exclaimed while grabbing Alice's hand and dragging her into the bathroom.

Siobhan paused in her organization of the clothes, and looked at the retreating back of Kate and Alice. She shook her head and giggled before turning back to me. "Don't worry, she's harmless Bella. She's just excited that you two are here, alive and safe."

I opened my mouth to ask what she meant, but stopped myself before uttering a word. Alice wasn't here, and although I liked Siobhan, I still didn't trust her yet. She sighed before continuing to organize the clothes. "You know you are allowed to talk, Bella. No one is going to judge you here. From the information we were given, you always lived in a cabin. So I'm sure you have questions. All you need to do is ask."

"Wh-what did you me-mean?" I asked quietly. When I saw that Siobhan was waiting for me to finish, I continued. "When yo-you said she was excited we were here and al-alive?"

"Did your mother ever explain who the Cullens were?" she asked me.

"Mom said the Cullens were the C in CS Inc," I answered quietly. "M-mom's grandfather and Edward Cullen started the company a long time ago when they co-invented a clamp used in heart surgery. Mom's father Charlie joined the company right out of college and Edward's son Carlisle was a doctor who had just started doing research for the company before mom was taken. Mom also said that she looked up to Carlisle and his wife Esme as an older brother and sister."

"Yeah, that's right. Well, Kate is Carlisle's niece. Her mother is a Cullen. The Cullens were heartbroken when Renée disappeared. From what I heard, everyone who met your mother loved her. She was very well-liked around here." She said while folding clothes. The bathroom door suddenly opened. Alice came out with a smile a mile wide. Her pale face was clean and beaming. Her dark hair was wet and smelled of some flowery shampoo. It was combed much neater than when we comb our hair with our fingers and it looked a couple inches shorter falling just past her shoulders. She was dressed in a dark gray hooded sweatshirt with what looked like paint splattered across it in different colors. The back had the slogan 'All You Need Is Pink'. Her sweatpants were a bright purple with the word pink running down the side of her leg. She was clean and looked incredibly happy. I've never seen her look so happy before, especially after a shower. In the cabin we were allowed one cold shower a week, and we only had 20 minutes. Taking a shower in the winter was always a chore because it took the rest of the day for us to warm back up.

Alice came and sat next to me on the bed and grabbed my hand. "You are going to love it, B! I feel so good right now! I'm so warm, Bella! Feel the inside of my shirt!" She exclaimed excitedly as she had me feel the inside of her sweatshirt. It was the softest thing I had ever felt, I suddenly couldn't wait to take a shower.

Kate appeared in the doorway of the bathroom, and motioned for me to come to her. "Alrighty Miss Bella, you are next!"

After entering the bathroom, Kate had me sit on the closed toilet seat facing the wall. She took the braid out of my hair before trying to comb out all the knots throughout my long hair. She told me she was going to cut my hair before I got in the shower so that it would be more manageable. Alice and I had never gotten our hair cut except from the kiddie scissors James let mom borrow. It was hard to cut our hair and usually took up to an hour because the scissors were so dull. He made sure the scissors worked, but not well.

I was soothed by Kate doing my hair and before I knew it, she bid me to give her my clothes when I took them off so she could trash them. She showed me how to use the shower in the stall around the corner, and instructed me to use as much soap as I wanted, and to wash my hair twice using the shampoo and conditioner already in there. I was grateful she didn't make me undress in front of her. I had a few ugly scars covering my body from James and I didn't want her to think badly of me. James said I deserved all the marks upon my body, and that anyone who saw my scars would know what a dreadful little girl I was. Looking at my scars made me feel ashamed, so I never looked at my body if I could help it.

I was hesitant in entering the shower with the steam billowing out. I tentatively stuck my hand under the water and felt how warm and inviting the water seemed. I stepped fully into the shower, submerging my entire body in the water. The warm water felt heavenly and I now completely understood why Alice was so giddy. The washcloth, which Kate called a loofah, was a light blue and became softer in the water. With the soap filled loofah, I scrubbed my skin taking layers of dirt and grime that accumulated over the years. I scrubbed my entire body three times before tackling my hair. The Gardnier Fructis shampoo and conditioner was thicker and creamer than the unlabeled shampoo Victoria allowed us to use. I wrapped myself in the fluffy purple towel and couldn't believe how good I felt. I couldn't believe I was actually clean! This was the longest shower I had ever taken, and I truly felt relaxed and happy.

Leaving the stall, I saw that Kate had left me a black pair of sweats, as well as undergarments. I quickly dried off and put of the outfit that was laid across the small bench. The tags were lying on the bench, next to the sweats. They were actually new! I had never worn anything _new_ before. The soft material of the black sweatpants and sweatshirt made me feel like I was wrapped in fluffy, warm, soft blanket. Once in the outfit, I looked up at myself in the mirror on the wall. The sweats seemed a little big, but for once I felt warm and dry after a shower. My wet brown hair had a bit of a curl to it, and when I touched it, I could feel how soft and smooth the products made my hair. My face seemed paler than I remembered, but my cheeks were rosy from all the scrubbing. I felt like a completely different person. I wondered if someone saw me now, could they tell I spent the last 15 years in a concrete basement?

I turned away from the mirror and put on the socks and slippers Kate provided before walking into the main part of the bathroom. When she saw me, she had a huge smile on her face and giggled. "You are absolutely swimming in those sweats, just like your sister. We have got to get you guys some good grub!"

She combed my hair and told me to go into the other room while she cleaned up the bathroom. When I walked into the room, I noticed Dr. Gerardy talking with Alice. When he noticed me, he motioned me over to them.

"As I was telling your sister, I want to deeply apologize for the way you were first treated by Nurse Ratchet. She had no business treating a patient like that. I hope you won't hold her actions against us. We are all truly happy that you were found, healthy and safe. I know Chief Forge talked with you about the Swans potentially wanting a DNA test. Well, they have been notified and will be here tomorrow for that to happen."

I heard a gasp from Alice as I sucked in a huge breath. I suddenly had a million questions circling around my brain. The Swans were notified about us? What was their reaction? What was going to happen after the DNA proved that we were their grandchildren? Would they even want to meet us? The unlimited questions running through my mind was interrupted by the wheezing sound coming from Alice. She was starting to hyperventilate over our potential meeting with our family. Dr. Gerardy immediately went into doctor mode instructing the two of us to breathe slowly and calm down.

"Calm down girls, you will not be meeting your family tomorrow. You will not have a meeting with them until after the DNA results come back in a few days. You will however, be talking with one of our psychologist starting tomorrow. Your psychologist will have to consider you psychologically healthy before you meet any of your relatives. Your health right now is the most important thing for you to worry about. We need to make sure you have a healthy body and mind before _anything_ can happen. Okay?" Dr. Gerardy calmly told us.

"W-will they take more blood for the DNA test?" I asked hesitantly. Over the years, I have learned how squeamish I am when it comes to blood. Alice can handle it well, but the rusty smell always manages to turn my stomach.

"To be 100% sure we will be taking a small sample of blood as well as a cotton swab in your mouth," He answered apologetically.

"Who will you compare our DNA to? Both of our grandparents or just one?" Alice asked with curiosity. She was really enjoying the opportunity we were given to ask questions. It truly felt exhilarating.

"Ah…well, yes. We will be comparing it to both of your grandparents." Dr Gerardy started slowly. He looked like he wanted to say something but was extremely cautious and uncertain. "We will also be comparing it to one other."

"Oh, do you have our mother on file then?" Alice asked immediately. I felt like she was hoping for him to say they had found her, but from the news program and Boss still out there looking, I was doubtful that was what Dr. Gerardy had to say. I was starting to get confused why Dr. Gerardy was looking at us funny. I looked over at Kate and Siobhan who had been quiet during our entire interaction. They had just started quickly whispering to each other after Alice's statement. They all knew something that we didn't and seemed worried about telling us.

"Ah…no," Dr. Gerardy answered. He looked extremely nervous and began fiddling with the pen in his hand. "We have your brother on file."

_Brother? What brother?_

* * *

AN: Hey, you guys still with me? Any guesses on what happened with the brother or who he is? Please leave a review! :)

Also to cover my bases:

*Saint Elizabeth hospital is a real hospital in Washington, but everything about it in my story (including the personnel) is fiction.

*Anything medical is fiction- I've never really spent much time in hospitals (thankfully). And Cullen Swan Inc. obviously doesn't exist.

Also, in case anyone is interested, _Becoming a Swan_ has a blog! It's insideaswan dot blogspot dot com. Link on my profile page! You can find pictures of my 'cast of characters', places, clothes, etc.

Thanks for reading! xoxo- AJ


	4. Chapter 4

Hello All! Happy Twilight Weekend! Hopefully you all have seen/going to see Breaking Dawn Part 2. In the spirit of Twilight, here is the next chapter. Even though it may not seem as exciting, I feel like there is a lot of information thrown at you, so let me know what you think!

Once again, I do not own Twilight or its characters...

* * *

**Oh, brother!**

_Brother? What brother?_

I looked at Alice in confusion, while she stared back at me in disbelief.

"Uh…sir? I think you are mistaken, we don't have a brother," I said warily.

"They don't know? Why don't they know?" I heard Siobhan ask Kate. Kate looked shocked and a little upset. She never took her eyes off me and Alice sitting on Alice's hospital bed.

Dr. Gerardy continued to fiddle with his pen before sighing and looking back at Kate. Siobhan sheepishly stared back at us as she tried to slyly nudge Kate forward. Kate stumbled a little from Siobhan's push before she hesitatingly stepped next to the bed and sat on the edge by my feet. She softly grasped my ankle, while opening and closing her mouth several times. She obviously didn't know what to say or how to start. How could Alice and I possibly have a brother we knew absolutely nothing about?

Not being able to take any more of the odd looks and silence, Alice broke the ice. "Will someone please tell us what you mean? Why are you saying we have a brother? We have sisters, yes, but we know nothing of a brother. Are you sure you aren't mistaken?" Alice spoke really quickly. She opened her mouth to start spouting off more questions before Kate interrupted her.

"No, no girls. We aren't mistaken," Kate started. "I've known your family since I was born. The Cullens and Swans go way back, even before the forming of CS Inc, also known as CullenSwan Inc. Our families have always been friends, even way back to your great grandparents! Your mom's great-grandfather Swan was good friends with my great-grandfather Cullen. I grew up in Forks with Renée and your Uncle Sam. I think my grandparents wanted my mom to marry your grandpa Charlie, but ever since they were in high-school, Charlie has been all about your grandma Sue. My grandparents have always made it clear that they hoped somewhere along the line a Cullen and Swan would end up together, but so far their scheming hasn't panned out!" Kate chuckled. "Your grandmother, Sue, is best friends with my mom. I've always known them as 'Uncle Charlie' and 'Auntie Sue'. I was like an honorary Swan! I didn't have any siblings of my own, but Renée and Sam treated me like their little sister. I practically lived at the Swan house, had a drawer full of clothes and everything. Your mother was my biggest role model. She _was_ my big sister."

Kate paused, and then cleared her throat. "When your mother was taken, the kidnappers sent letters multiple letters every week like clockwork. They were always from different locations across the mid-west and west coast. I remember there were some from Wisconsin, Las Vegas, all over California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Chicago...there were so many. It confused the cops how on Monday they'd get a letter from Omaha, Nebraska, and then on Tuesday they'd get one from Napa Valley, California. The letters were always swiped clear of any DNA. Police were dumbfounded as to how they were doing it. It's always been assumed that they had help from the inside, but that was always considered 'speculation'."

Siobhan had come up behind Kate and squeezed her shoulder in support. Alice's hand was wrapped around mine as we learned how the kidnapping affected everyone in our mother's life. It was illuminating to hear how traumatizing the waiting game was. James was a truly sick man. I never understood the enjoyment he got out of his games.

With a sigh, Kate continued, "The ransom always asked for money. It was always about _more_ money." She finished with a whisper. "The police would never allow the Swans to go along with the ransom. They believed it to be a trap, so the kidnappers got mostly fake bills in a black unmarked duffel bag. Well, that just made them angry, so their letters started to become more hostile stating that they were going to hurt Renée, and start sending body parts. They even sent pictures of her bruised and bleeding, curled up in a ball on the floor," Kate paused and rubbed her eyes. This conversation was obviously taking a toll on her.

"The letters came consistently for 10 months and then stopped. The police started to lose interest in the case, and nothing was really being done. It had been over a year since she had been taken, and the police were no closer to solving the case than they had been right after the kidnapping first happened. I remember it was right after Christmas and I had just turned 10 when we got the call. The Swans were to deposit 2 million dollars into an off-shore account and Renée would be returned. If they involved the cops then they would shoot Renée, and send them her remains. The Swans did what they were told, but never got any word on Renée. After a week, she still hadn't been returned, and there was no word from the kidnappers. In desperation, Uncle Charlie ended up calling the officer in charge of the case and admitted to depositing the money and still not getting Renée back. The police had a lot of trouble finding the account, and I'm not really sure what happened with that. About a week into the New Year, a newborn baby had been dropped off at Forks General Hospital, with a note just like the ones the Swans had received in the mail. The note said that giving back Renée was no longer an option, but the baby was hers. After DNA testing, it was determined that he really was Renee's baby. He was Uncle Charlie and Aunt Sue's grandchild. So yes, we are confident that he_ is_ your brother." She finished with a tear running down her cheek. She quickly wiped the tear away and gave us a timid smile.

Everyone sat in silence as they waited for me and Alice to absorb all the new information we were just given. Alice was slightly shaking and I was frozen. I was having a really hard time imagining having a brother. Who was he? What was he like? So many questions were swarming back and forth across my mind.

"How old is he?" Alice whispered. I doubted anyone besides myself had heard her. I thought back quickly over everything Kate had said.

"He's got to be 18 now, Ali." I answered back. Alice just had her birthday and our brother would have had to have been a little over a year older than Alice. We had an older brother all of these years and Mom never told us? Victoria never mentioned mom having another child! And James never said a word about it? That seemed like something he would have taunted us with, like he did with the twins, but he never said anything about us having a brother. Ever! It's always been my sisters and I. What would the basement have been like with a brother? An _older_ brother? Would _he_ have been able to fight back against James and Victoria? Is _that_ why he never told us about him? Did James fear the potential a boy had against fighting him back? I usually understood all of James' motives, but with the announcement of our older brother, I was having hard time understanding why he did what he did. The whole situation boggled my mind. I never knew my mother kept such a big secret from us. What other things could she have kept from us?

"Why didn't mom ever tell us?" Alice asked with tears escaping down her cheeks. Even though she asked the question, knowing our mother as well as she does, she knew the answer.

"It was her way of protecting herself. It was her way of protecting us. You know how lost she was when James took the twins." I answered her. Kate reached out and rubbed my wet cheeks. I hadn't noticed that I was crying as well. Siobhan moved behind Kate, only to hand Alice a box of tissues with a smile. Dr. Gerardy had stopped fiddling with pen and was staring at us with confusion.

"What twins? What twins did James take?" Dr. Gerardy asked. Alice glanced at me quickly before looking at Kate and Siobhan. Hadn't we told them about our younger twin sisters? Didn't we mention to them that James sold them for money? Everything was happening so fast, how had we missed telling them about two of the most important people in our lives?

"We have younger twin sisters. They were with us until...um..we haven't seen them in a while," I explained slowly. It was hard to get out, and would be hard to explain. It was an event that Alice and I tried to block out of our memory so that it didn't haunt us day in and day out. Kate's head was tilted to the side and her brows were furrowed. Siobhan looked to be concentrating hard and was mouthing the word 'twins' over and over. However, Dr. Gerardy looked like he needed to braced against something because he was ready to fall over with this new development.

"Mom had twin girls a few years after Bella was born. I messed up-"

"We messed up, Alice. It wasn't just your fault." I corrected her, like I had done for years.

"After _I_ messed up, James sold the twins. We don't know where or to whom he sold them to, but he sold our little sisters." Alice continued. She was crying again, and I knew she was reliving the day we both went through hell after he made the announcement that they were gone and never coming back. I remember him being so giddy, while our hearts were breaking over the loss. I hadn't noticed the alarming look on Kate and Siobhan's face until I saw Dr. Gerardy hastily leave the room. I turned to Kate for reassurance. She didn't believe it was our fault, did she? Or worse, did they discover something bad happened to the twins without the authorities knowing their true identities or real family?

"What's wrong Kate? Has someone found them? Are they okay?" I asked dreading the fact that James could have lied about selling them and instead hurt the twins, and then left them alone at a random hospital like he did our brother.

Kate looked a little confused and panicked. "I..uh- I don't know-" she answered before Dr. Gerardy came strolling in with the lady detective from the cabin, Detective Molina. Her entire demeanor from the first time we met her was changed. Even though she looked serious, she seemed more free and looser in her movements. Her face was less hostile and more open and personable. I just hope she was the same as when she left us in the cabin and not when she first met us.

"Hello girls. So, I heard that you were just discussing with Dr. Gerardy about your siblings. And you were told that you have an older brother?" Detective Molina asked while opening her trusty little notepad to take notes.

"Yeah. Mom never told us we had a brother." Alice stated, way less reserved than when we first came across Molina. Alice seemed much more relaxed talking to these new people and answering their questions. I wasn't sure if it was the shower and new clothes that made Alice feel comfortable and confident, but I still had problems with my nerves and trusting them implicitly. Something held me back from fully trusting them, but after each question I asked without receiving punishment, I rejoiced in the opportunity for this new life, with these new people. If only we could find our mother and sisters.

"I had always assumed I was her eldest child. I never would have guessed that she had Emmett a year before me, she was so young. She never said anything about him," Alice admitted.

"Yes, it was a shock to everyone when they discovered your brother was in fact Renee's son. With his DNA, they tried to find his father, your father, but he never showed up in any of our police or hospital databases. But now, we have a name and picture, and you have Chief Forge on the case. Now that we know a lot more, I'm confident that we'll be able to find him!" Detective Molina stated optimistically. Catching James was good, but we had so many questions right now about our newly discovered sibling!

"Yes, I hope you find James, because then you may be able to find mom. But we've had an older brother all these years and never knew about him! Did mom's family take him in? Or, was he adopted by someone else? Where is he now?" I whispered quickly.

"Kate, you're close with the Swans. Do you know our brother? Does he know the full story of what happened to our mother? Does he know about us? How do our grandparents treat him? What is he like? What-" Alice burst out excitedly. She forgot to take a breath during her small tirade so her eyes were wild, and her chest was heaving.

"Woah, Alice breathe. You both need to slow down and relax," Dr. Gerardy instructed as he put his stethoscope against Alice's heaving chest.

"Calm down, Alice. I'll tell you anything you want! Yes, I know your brother! He's-"

"That's enough Kate, we should handle the brother situation later with their psychiatrist. It'll be too much at the moment. What's important is that their brother is fine, he's happy and healthy. They are getting way too excited talking about him. It's too much for right now. They are still adjusting."

"But , surely they can handle learning about their family-"

"Kate, outside now!" Kate was cut off and asked to step outside by Dr. Gerardy.

When Kate returned she looked annoyed as she flopped back onto the bed with her arms crossed. She reminded me of a pouting toddler who didn't get their way. I always hated when the twins pouted, but in this case I fully supported Kate's pout. I felt like pouting myself. I noticed her glaring at the doctor before he started to address us.

"We have decided that for now, it is more prudent for us to wait for your psychiatrist to discuss the Swan family and your possible reunion with them. Right now, it's more urgent that we find out about these twins you are talking about. The reports from the police said that you were the only two in the cabin. If there were others, and James did something to them, they could be in immediate danger-"

"Yes, you're right doctor. That's why I am here to handle this," Detective Molina stepped in. I didn't understand how discussing the twins being taken away from us is better for our mental health than discussing the life of the brother we never knew, but who was I to judge- I wasn't a doctor.

"We do need to find out about the twins. I think I can get more people on the case, because from the sound of things so far, they could be absolutely anywhere. But let's start with the facts. So Alice, you say that you remember your mother having your twin sisters?" She asked waiting for Alice to fill in the details. I was really little when mom was pregnant and although I vaguely remember mom's big pregnant belly, Alice's memory of that time is much sharper.

"Yes. Ellie and Lyla were born when I was 4. Bella wasn't quite 3 yet." Alice answered.

"Were they your biological sisters? I know you were little, but do you remember your mother actually being pregnant?" Molina asked.

"Of course I remember-" Alice started with a cold tone. She was still on edge from the last encounter with Detective Molina.

"Alice, I didn't mean-" The sorrow on Detective Molina's face made it clear to me why she was going down that line of questioning. It wasn't to doubt or insult Alice, it was to make sure we were the only ones kidnapped in this situation. She had to make sure that James didn't take the twins from some other family.

"I know my own memor-"

"Ali," I stopped her. I held her thin arm in my hand. "She's asking to make sure mom was the only young girl he kidnapped. She wants to make sure another woman or the twins weren't taken too."

Alice sucked in a big breath as I rubbed her arm. She smiled sheepishly at Detective Molina. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

Detective Molina cut her off, "It's okay Alice. I have only our first meeting to thank for your reactions to me. I'm so sorry for the way I treated you. I've been trying for months to be taken seriously, and you proved to me in 20 minutes that I was never going to be taken seriously if I acted like a pompous jackass. So I'm sorry to the both of you." Detective Molina took Dr. Gerardy's spot closest to Alice's side of the bed. She grabbed a hold of Alice's left hand and squeezed it lightly.

"Now, I think it's time to start over. Hello ladies, I am Detective Sienna Molina. I am here to help you on your road to healing." She started while professionally shaking our hands. "Now, let's get down to business. Tell me everything you can. I'm going to send my notes to Chief Forge tonight and we'll get on trying to find your sisters as well. So, what do you remember Alice?"

Alice sighed and gave a small smile to Molina. "Bella might not remember very well, but I do. I had never seen a stomach so big before. It looked like a _huge_ ball was stuffed under her skin. I had lots of questions, but mom would always tell me that she was growing my little brothers or sisters. She would let me feel her stomach when the babies were moving, and I loved it. Bella didn't fully understand, but she would still have full conversations with Mom's stomach." She finished with a sniffle. She turned to me with a heartfelt expression, "You couldn't wait to be a big sister like me."

"Do you remember when they were born? Was a doctor involved? Did your mom get to name them?" Siobhan asked curiously.

"What are their names, Alice?" Kate asked simultaneously with a small smile and a tearful expression.

"Mom was taken away to have them. I'm assuming Dr. Banner delivered them. I just remember mom coming back with them. They were so tiny. Mom had already picked out names before she had them though," Alice answered.

"Well, Mom tried to name them, but Alice insisted in helping. Just be glad they weren't boys because Alice wanted to name one Milo and the other Otis." I answered with a laugh.

"What? I was four and I liked the book _The Adventures of Milo and Otis_! And you helped too! You helped pick their middle names." Alice laughed back.

Shaking my head, I turned to answer Kate and Siobhan with a smile. "Danielle Elizabeth Swan was born first on July 24, 1999. At least mom said it was the 24th, we couldn't really read the calendar in the kitchen until we were older, but mom wrote everything down in her copy of Romeo and Juliet."

Kate gasped, "Elizabeth. That is my mother's name."

"Your mom is Elizabeth? Mom would always tell us made up fairy-tales about a princess named Elizabeth." Alice replied. "Bella used to love the stories and picked the name Elizabeth. She wanted that to be Ellie's first name, but mom chose it as her middle."

"So, Danielle was born first?" Detective Molina asked.

"Yeah, but she prefers Ellie. She was the hard-headed stubborn one. Once she set her mind on something, she was going to do it. She was so incredibly brave. She would always try to stand up to James for more food or longer shower-time. Mom said she was reckless, but I always admired her tenacity. She's also fiercely protective of us, but especially of Lyla. Delilah Margaret Swan was born second. Lyla is shy, sweet, and a complete opposite of Ellie." I answered with a chuckle.

Lyla and Ellie were as different as night and day. Ellie was loud, Lyla was quiet. Ellie was outgoing and friendly, Lyla was shy and reserved. Ellie liked to fight, Lyla was mellow. Ellie had dark hair, Lyla had blond hair. When they were about 2, I asked my mom why they were so different if they were supposed to be twins. She just explained to me that fraternal twins are different from identical twins. She said that fraternal twins are basically two different babies who just happen to be in a mommy's stomach at the same time. After reading my biology book when I was 12, I understood a little better about why my twin sisters were so different. But even with their vast differences, ultimately they _were_ twins. They may have seemed completely different except for their hazel-brown eyes, but they still have twin-isms that Alice and I could never figure out. They understood one another without even looking at each other. They could feel the other's emotions almost as well as their own. They could also finish one another's sentences with ease. Although they fought with one another, they despised being separated. You would never see one without the other close by. The worst punishment you could bestow on them was to separate them. Being together comforted them.

"Would you like to see pictures?" Alice asked Detective Molina. Molina had a genuine smile on her face that got wider with the mention of more of Alice's artwork.

"You have pictures?" Kate asked immediately perking up and excited.

I bit my lip, unsure how to disappoint Kate with the fact that they were just drawings.

Alice quietly sighed, "No, I'm sorry Kate. I misspoke. I meant drawings. They're just sketches I made."

"Oh. Well let's see then." Kate replied with a smile still on her face. She tried, but she couldn't hide the fact that she was disappointed very well.

Detective Molina stepped up in defense, "They are better than your average drawings, Kate. Alice is an amazing artist. Her pencil sketches are the ones we used in the media outreach."

Siobhan and Kate turn to us with shock wide eyes. "You did that? You drew those pictures?" Siobhan asked

Alice looked at them warily and nodded. A big wide smile crossed Kate's face, before she let out a squeal. "Oh my gosh, Alice! You can draw? Why didn't you tell us you were so talented? I should have known, your mother was brilliant at pretty much everything!" Siobhan's hands clamped down onto Kate's shoulders to keep her from vibrating right off the bed. When it looked like Kate was getting ready to talk again, Siobhan covered Kate's mouth with her hand and told Alice to get the notebook.

Alice leaned over and reached inside the nightstand drawer. I hadn't even noticed that Alice kept the notebook the entire time we had been in the hospital. She flipped a few pages in the section where she drew mom, me, and the twins.

"Wow," Kate gasped. "She looks the same as I remember." Kate was tracing the lines on mom's face. Her eyes were filled with tears that she was refusing to release. She turned the next page, which was of me reading.

"You like to read, Bella?" Siobhan asked curiously.

Alice looked at me and giggled, "Bella without a book is like rain not feeling wet." Alice then surprised me as she reached inside the drawer she had put the notebook in, and pulled out my battered copy of _Wuthering Heights_. Alice just smiled at my shocked face. "I grabbed your book, as well as Mom's _Romeo and Juliet_ when I grabbed my notebook. I couldn't leave your favorite book behind."

I hugged Alice with all I had. I whispered 'thank you' to her while I tried to calm my emotions while hiding myself in her hair. I was incredibly thankful that she grabbed _Romeo and Juliet_ because that book was the closest we had to birth certificates. Mom kept all important dates in that book, and it would be like losing our history if we had lost it. _Wuthering Heights_ on the other hand, just held sentimental value for me. It was the first novel I tried to read all on my own. Mom worried that the book would be too advanced with themes that I wouldn't understand as a young girl. She had insisted I try something a little easier, but I refused and worked on it until I succeeded. The book was old with a partially ripped front cover. It had once been a library book, and according to the back cover time-stamp 'Ashley R. Casey' was the last one to check it out in 1992.

"Wuthering Heights was Aunt Sue's favorite. I don't remember Renée caring for it that much. I can't get over this sketch though. You look just like her in this picture, Bella. I remember, whenever you would see Renée, she would always have a book in her hand. " Kate said sadly. Kate slowly turned the next page which contained the twins. It was a sketch of them when they were babies. It was done by memory years after they had been taken away. Alice had a great artistic memory, and she had frequently re-sketched several of the ones she did of us, especially the ones of the twins.

Kate turned the page to see an older version of the last picture. Alice always said that it was easier for her to draw the girls when they were asleep because when they were awake it was impossible to keep them from moving. Kate and Siobhan 'awwed' at the drawing. The love and connection the twins had for one another was clearly shown when they slept. Alice had sketched them while they were napping together about a year before they were sold. They were wrapped and intertwined together like a pretzel. It was hard to tell where one ended and another began. Even their hair was mixed together of light and dark on the small, dirty pillow they shared.

"Who is who, Alice?" Detective Molina asked.

"Ellie is the one with dark hair with her hand in Lyla's hair. Lyla is the light haired one sucking her thumb."

"Aww. They're adorable!" Siobhan exclaimed while Kate just bit the side of her lip in concentration. She turned the page which held a waking version of the twins on either side of mom. She was reading Charlotte's Web to them. Alice had sketched it a few days before they were taken from us. It was a sketch that Alice re-created frequently. She had that image burned into her brain, and she claimed that the drawing was missing something because it never looked completely right.

"Wow," Kate whispered. "Ellie looks a lot like you Alice, but Lyla looks a lot like him."

"Him? You mean James? The only thing she got from James is his hair color, but mom always said her mom had blond hair too, so Lyla could have gotten it from her!" Alice said defensively. I was glad she said something because I didn't want people thinking sweet Lyla could be anything like James.

"No, no!" Kate insisted. "I didn't mean James. I would never mean your sperm donor. I meant Emmett. I think she looks a lot like Emmett."

Alice looks at me questioningly before slowly looking back at Kate. Kate was still looking down at the drawing and I doubt anyone else realized what she had just said. Detective Molina, Siobhan and Kate never looked up from Alice's drawings. Dr. Gerardy seemed occupied with our charts by the far corner across from the foot of our bed. No one realized the enormity of Kate's accidental slip of information.

"Who's Emmett, Kate? Is he our brother?" I asked quietly.

Kate looked up from the notebook surprised. She opened her mouth to answer us, when Doctor Gerardy came back from the corner and stopped her.

"That's enough Kate. I think it's time for the girls to get some sleep. It's going on 11:30 and they will have a very full day of more tests and also a meeting with their psychiatrist. They can talk about it tomorrow. Now, say good night girls." Dr. Gerardy said as he ushered Detective Molina, Siobhan, and Kate out the door. Kate took her time getting up from the bed. She squeezed my leg and winked at me before turning and walking out the door. "Isabella, I would like you to sleep in your own bed tonight, please." He said closing our door.

I got up from Alice's bed and into my own. The bed felt hard, and the sheets felt cold against my skin. I turned on my side to face my sister. I had never slept in a bed by myself before. I wasn't used to all the open leg room or not having tug for my share of the blanket. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep. My mind would not shut off as I listened to the sounds that echoed along the hospital corridors. After a half hour of trying to sleep, I grabbed my pillow and blanket and got out of bed. I tip-toed across to Alice's bed and watched as the moonlight trailed across her face. Her slow, steady breaths suggested that she was asleep, but I knew she was still awake having trouble finding sleep as well. There wasn't a lot of room, but thankfully we were both small and could fit in the narrow bed comfortably. I put my hand down on the bed, getting ready to jump up onto her bed when I saw Alice scoot over and hold the blanket open for me to crawl into without opening her eyes. Once I crawled into bed with my sister, I felt much better. It felt like home.

"So, Emmett is our older brother?" Alice murmured sleepily.

"Emmett is our older brother," I confirmed before drifting off to a peaceful slumber.

* * *

SOOO! There ya go! The unknown, mysterious brother is Emmett (woohoo, anyone guess Emmett?) ; and the twins are Danielle and Delilah (Ellie and Lyla) which are new characters.

Renee's kidnapping was explained a little more, but remember that Kate was 10 at the time and may not have all the facts right...

Oh and again if anyone is interested- Becoming a Swan's blog is: insideaswan. blogspot. com (delete the spaces)

Please, please review and let me know what you think!

Hope you all enjoy Breaking Dawn Part 2! :)

~AJ


	5. Chapter 5

Hello all! I want to _sincerely_ apologize for not updating sooner. I have no real excuse besides the fact that I had to rewrite the chapter (after having some computer issues). Hopefully you all don't hate me and are still with me?

I unfortunately do not own anything, just the plot. I'm just having fun using S. Meyer's characters! :)

Please review and let me know what you think!

* * *

**Fun? What's 'Fun'?**

The ringing in my ears had finally ceased as I opened my eyes to examine my surroundings. I was back in my hospital bed after a very exhausting morning full of being poked and prodded by doctors running different tests trying to find something wrong with Alice and I. Each test left its own impression from bruised arms, to ringing ears. The hearing test for example, made a ringing noise that echoed in my head hours after the test was over. I was happy that we were finally given a slight break. The tests seemed never-ending and this afternoon only hinted at more and different questioning and testing. I felt like a lab rat, and I suspected the doctors looked at me and Alice as some weird science experiment. We were like animals, bred in captivity and not familiar with the outside world. Only problem is that I read that animals bred in captivity weren't likely to be released into the wild for fear that they wouldn't be able to adapt and survive by themselves. Question is: are we going to be like the animals, unable to adapt?

We wouldn't know our adaptability for a while, and I had hope that everything mom had taught us would help. It didn't feel right to allow others to help us, but Kate, Siobhan, and even Boss brought us out of the cabin and had been helpful and kind in regards to our treatment in the hospital so far. The other doctors, the ones doing all the testing earlier this morning, never really said anything bad to us, it was just a feeling I had regarding their aloof, apathetic demeanor. Everything about the tests they performed today was stressful and although they were careful in studying us, they didn't seem to really care about our well-being. I felt tension start to build back up throughout my body as I thought about what other tests awaited us this afternoon. I sincerely wished I could just go back to the peace I felt when I first awoke this morning.

-BaS-BaS-BaS-BaS-BaS-

_A stream of light shined across my closed eyelids. I could feel the faint sunlight coming from the window hitting my face and arms as I peacefully snoozed. I slowly opened my eyes to see two hazel eyes staring back at me. I could tell Alice hadn't been awake long, because she was incredibly impatient when it came to people sleeping in later than her. We stayed silent as we gradually woke up and absorbed our surroundings. I was wrapped in the warmth of the hospital blankets and Alice's body heat. She looked happy, like she had a great night of sleep, and I knew Alice was still beaming on the inside from the warm shower, soft bed, and full, peaceful night of sleep. Alice's pale face had a slight flush in her cheeks and her hair was covering a part of her forehead. I could tell she had done her usual tossing and turning, but I didn't know how she managed to move in the small bed without waking me up. This was the first night that I had fully slept through for as long as I could remember. I wasn't used to feeling this re-energized when I woke up. I usually felt tired and groggy when I first awoke, but today I was clear minded and refreshed. _

_Alice was smiling a small smile as she examined my face, just as I examined hers. We felt content in our small bubble. Meeting Boss, Kate, Siobhan, and even Dr. Gerardy and Detective Molina gave me hope that Alice and I will be able to eventually act like regular teenagers. We had never met anyone who wasn't directly connected to James or Victoria, and now not only were we in a new environment, but we had met several new human beings. We went against James' rules and actually conversed with these new people. Even though Alice had started losing hope of getting out of the basement last year, I always believed that someone would find and help us. I did however, worry about how that would happen and the event in which led to us being discovered. I also worried about the actual meeting of the new people. I didn't know what to expect and I was not confident in how to act in front of other people. Mom always told us stories about her life, and how 'normal' people acted and I really hoped to one day be 'normal'. She always said that the reason she told us the stories was because she wanted to remember what life was like before James, and she didn't want to forget who she was and where she came from. She always wished for us to have a life-like she had before she was kidnapped. Mom had taken a few psychology classes before she was abducted and knew from the studies done in her psychology books, Alice and I might never be like other kids our age because of the environment in which we grew up. She never lost faith that we would be rescued, and said that she hoped that reading to us and telling us stories about how she grew up and what life was outside the cabin would help mentally prepare us in the long run. _

_Even though they saved us, I was still wary of the people we had met yesterday. It felt instinctual to keep my guard up. James and Victoria liked to play mind games, and Alice and I always fell for it. Could this whole situation be another one of their elaborate games? _

_I mentally shook my head, because I knew that they would never go as far as to allow this many people into their scheme. They wouldn't allow a news program to print pictures of their faces. __The only conclusion I could make, that made any sense, was that we must have really been rescued. __Being in this hospital _must_ be real._  


_I felt a sting on my left hand that was lying on my pillow by my face. I looked down and saw that Alice was the one who pinched me. I looked into her eyes as she mouthed the word 'don't'. She could tell I was over-thinking everything that had happened so far, and knew that I was starting to doubt all the new people we had met._

_She put her right hand over mine and squeezed. Whatever happened we were in this together. _

_Not even a minute later, the door to our room swung open to reveal a very chipper Kate. She was humming a tune under her breath as she made her way across the room to the window. She pulled the blinds further apart before turning around to face us with a smile._

"_Rise and shine little chicklets!" She sang. "Oh good you guys are awake!"_

_I couldn't help but smile. Her mood was infectious and I started to return to the happy, content feeling I woke up to, before I started to over-analyze everything._

"_I guess I'm not surprised you didn't sleep in your bed, Isabella," Kate announced with a fake frown trying to sound disappointed. What gave her away was the slight smile on her face and the happiness shining through her eyes._

"_You two have a very full day ahead of you. First we have some more tests, including the DNA tests we have to do."_

_Alice immediately sat up in bed, "Is Emmett here?"_

_Kate looked down at the clipboard she was carrying in her hand ignoring Alice's question, "Let's see, and then you are having some nutritional tests, an elaborate vision and hearing test, and a stress test that-"_

"_Kate, please. Is our brother here?" Alice insisted._

_Kate bit her lip to contain her smirk. "I guess you guys caught that, huh?"_

_I nodded my head, and just waited for confirmation. _

"_Yes, Emmett is the name of your brother." Kate stated as Alice let out a small squeal._

"_But I cannot say anything else," she said as she put her hand on Alice's shoulder and tried to stop Alice from vibrating all over the bed. "I wasn't suppose to let that slip, and I might get in trouble for it."_

"_We won't say anything, Kate," I promised. Alice and I were really good at keeping secrets. Living the life that we did, it was mandatory._

"_Good." She said as she nodded her head. "And yes, he should be here shortly. They wanted him to come because the results they have of him are from when he was a baby and they want fresh results. But I do not know when exactly he's coming or who is coming with him." She paused as she heard a gasp escape from me and Alice. _

"_Either way, you will not be meeting them today. So don't get excited," Kate quickly insisted before Alice and I worked ourselves into a frenzy._

"_Now, for more pressing issues…Who wants another shower? You both have time before Siobhan brings up your breakfast." Alice was immediately sent into action as she untangled herself from the bed sheets. I giggled under my breath as I watched her launch herself into the bathroom. I admitted that another shower so soon seemed almost too good to be true. I was already looking forward to it. _

"_Let me set her out some clothes, and I'll be right back." Kate said with a chuckle._

_I sighed as a laid back against the pillows. I noticed through the window, the rays of sunlight peeking through the clouds suggested that it was later in the day than when I usually woke up. I looked around the room for a clock before spotting one about a marker board by the door. The clock on the wall said it was just after 8:30. I was shocked to see that Alice and I had slept so late. Kate didn't seem angry, but we wouldn't be in trouble for sleeping so late, right?_

_Kate walked back into the room, with a skip and her smile turned into a frown as she looked at me. "What's wrong, Bella?" She asked as she sat down on Alice's side of the bed._

"_W-w-we ar-aren't in trouble for sleeping so la-late, ri-ri-right?" I asked as I stumbled over my whispered words._

_Kate let out an audible sigh and grabbed my hands that had fisted the blankets. "No, sweetheart. I came in and saw you two peacefully sleeping around 7 and thought to let you guys sleep a little later. God knows, when the last time you two slept peacefully was."_

_I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding as she continued to stroke my hands. Kate still seemed nice, and like the people mom always told us about. Maybe mom was right and James really was 'one of a kind' like she suggested. _

"_Honey, you will never have to worry about being abused by him again. I know you are scared, but I hope over time you will learn to like and trust me," Kate said earnestly._

"_I'm sorry, Ka-Kate. I do like you." I whispered back to her. My words took immediate effect and I could see Kate's happy demeanor return._

"_Good! Now, I gave Alice two options of comfy attire. I have no idea who designed this awful hospital garb, but not only is it ugly, it's uncomfortable! Anyway, I'll let you pick your outfit out now before you shower!" Kate said as she hopped off the bed and over to the small little dresser across from the bed. I let out a little giggle as I watched Kate dance around as she grabbed items to create my outfit. I didn't want to mention to her that I didn't care what I wore as long as I was warm, because I didn't want to kill her mood again._

"_Oh God, she's dancing," Siobhan announced from the doorway as she walked into the room carrying two stacked trays and a big white paper bag. Kate quickly turned to Siobhan and stuck her tongue out before turning back and continuing her dancing. _

_Siobhan giggled and playfully bumped Kate's hip as she passed her. She dropped the trays of food on top of the small dresser where Kate was searching, and brought over the white paper bag, sitting it on the hospital tray. The white bag had a logo on it that read 'Breaking Dawn Cafe' in a fancy print. A wonderful aroma of fresh baked bread and spices emerged from the bag as Siobhan began digging through it. _

_Kate immediately stopped what she was doing and stood ramrod straight. She sniffed the air before quickly turning around. "I smell cinnamon. You went to Breaking Dawn? Oh, I so love you! What'd you get me?" _

"_You?" Siobhan snorted. "I didn't get you squat, the girls on the other hand-" Siobhan paused as she looked at Kate's murderous expression. She pulled out something wrapped up and shook it at Kate. "I got your favorite, calm down."_

"_Yes!" Kate squealed as jumped and hopped on the end of the bed. Siobhan handed her the breakfast sandwich and watched as Kate sniffed the package. _

"_Ah, heaven! I was going to become a vegetarian, until I had this sandwich," Kate sighed._

_Siobhan scoffed, "No you weren't! You wouldn't be able to handle not getting your daily dose of meat!" _

_Kate waved her off before opening the package to reveal scrambled eggs and bacon nestled inside a thick Italian roll. My stomach growled with the look and smell of that sandwich. I looked at Siobhan hopefully as she dug through the paper bag. She pulled out a big container of fruit salad and a fresh bagel. _

"_I know this doesn't look like much Bella, but your reports yesterday said you were underweight. We don't know what kind of vitamin deficiencies you might have or what your stomach can handle. So some fresh fruit and a bagel is all I'm going to allow you to have right now. I'm hoping you don't have any trouble with the fruit because some things in this are more on the acidic side. Eventually we'll work you up to that monstrosity of a sandwich." She said as she pointed to Kate who was stuffing her face. _

"_Anything is better than the mush you get here!" Kate said over a mouthful of food. Even though I was excited for the fresh food, Kate's sandwich looked delicious._

_Siobhan put some fruit on my plate that I had only seen in books and magazines. Victoria would only give us apples. Once in a while she would spring for bananas or grapes, but none of our food was ever this appetizing or fresh. I had to hold myself back as I saw her put things on my plate. Beside the fruit she put a few spoonfuls of what the container labeled as yogurt. I had never seen yogurt before, but mom said that was what she would have for breakfast most days before school. She also pulled out a bagel from the bag. She cut the bagel in half and placed one half on my plate and the other on what I suspected Alice's to be. The soft inside emitted heat and I could tell it was right out the oven. I wanted to wait for Alice, but she was taking forever and my stomach felt like it was eating itself._

_I timidly took a grape and popped it into my mouth. The sweet and tartness of the grape was at war with my taste-buds. The small fruit was way better than I ever remembered. It was so tasty, I couldn't wait to try the other ripe fruit that I had never tried before. I slowly tried each fruit one by one absorbing the different taste and textures. Siobhan told me what each fruit was before I ate it. I think she could tell that I had never eaten strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, raspberries, or cantaloupe before and suggested I try dipping it in the yogurt. It was amazingly delicious as I slowly ate each fruit. Just as I was trying my second strawberry, Alice emerged from the bathroom looking and smelling refreshed in her black yoga pants and over-sized purple sweatshirt, and fuzzy purple boots. She looked extremely happy in her new comfy, warm attire._

"_What is that amazing smell?" Alice asked. Once she looked at my euphoric face and plate full of food, she rushed over and jumped next to me on the bed. Siobhan handed her a plate and I watched as Alice was amazed over the different fruit and fresh bread we were offered. _

"_It's amazing Alice! Try the strawberries," I whispered to her excitedly as I pointed out the red fruit._

_We silently finished our food, amazed at the different flavors that we had never tasted before. We were happy and content, a feeling that was normally absent at the cabin. We didn't know our peaceful morning was soon to turn chaotic and stressful._

_After my shower, I was dressed similar to Alice in a black zip-up hoodie with a pink zipper and black yoga pants with pink trim. My black books were fuzzy and soft. I was extremely comfortable and warm. Once I emerged from the bathroom, I was escorted to a seat where Kate styled my hair into a French braid. I hadn't had anyone besides Alice do my hair in years, and she was always rough when she handled my hair, so this was a treat. Kate was finishing up my hair when Dr. Gerardy made his entrance with 4 other doctors. I instinctively shied away from these new strangers and found myself nestled between Kate and Alice on the bed._

"_I thought you said we had 'til 10? We haven't even explained everything that was going to happen today!" Siobhan exclaimed jumping up from the bed beside Alice. She stood in front of the doctors with her hands on her hips and a no-nonsense expression on her face._

"_Change of plans. The FBI want to interview the girls tonight! They are trying to take over the investigation since they claim they were in charge of this case, not the Seattle PD. So we need to get all the testing done by this afternoon," Dr. Gerardy explained._

"_I thought Chief Forge was in charge? I don't remember ever hearing about the FBI being involved." Siobhan insisted._

"_You girls were young when the case happened. Aro Rossi was the head of case back then, and wants to come out of retirement to assist in the case again. It was a known fact that Rossi never got along with the Seattle police and tried to leave them out of the investigation at every turn. The press believed their fighting is what caused Renee's kidnapping trail to run cold. The Swans never trusted Rossi, which didn't help the investigation at all," stated an unnamed sweet looking woman with a slight accent. She was standing behind Dr. Gerardy, and I assumed she was a doctor because of her white lab coat and clipboard in hand. She was petite, with brown hair to her shoulders that had a curl to it. Her brown eyes were honest and genuine upon her rounded face. She had a calm demeanor that alarmed me because without knowing who she was, she put me at ease and I felt better having her in the room.  
_

"_I don't remember Aro Rossi, Carmen." Kate stated confused to the sweet lady. They seemed to know each other well, as they talked to one another with familiarity that only comes with years of knowing a person.  
_

"_You don't remember, Katie?" Carmen scoffed. "You used to call him Greasy Arrow. You and Sam would stick out your tongues at him every time he came around!"_

"_That was him? He was from the FBI?" Kate asked flabbergasted._

"_Haha! You used to terrorize a FBI agent? Why am I not surprised?" Siobhan asked while laughing at Kate._

"_The adults let you slide because they didn't like how Aro treated the Seattle police who were so accommodating with the Swans," Carmen explained._

"_Well anyway, Aro is bringing his team here to talk with the girls," Dr Gerard said. "Now let's get moving."_

_-BaS-BaS-BaS-BaS-BaS-  
_

Those events from earlier this morning seem like a weird dream. I felt a little dazed as I looked out the window. I remembered how the exams were long and strenuous. They included more needles than I could count, injecting things from an allergy test to vaccines that we had missed due to not seeing a proper doctor for a physical every year. We also had blood drawn to look for vitamin deficiencies and also to examine and check our DNA. The other part of the DNA test was easy because they just rubbed a cotton swab along the inside of our cheeks. The stress test was exactly what the name suggested, it was stressful. Being hooked up to a bunch of wires while running on a treadmill was not my idea of fun. It was helpful though because Dr. Gerardy discovered that Alice and I had slight asthma. Our wheezing and coughing when we ran alerted Dr. Gerardy to our condition and we were each given an inhaler treatment. Dr. Gerardy said that he suspected we might have slight asthma or exercise induced asthma due to our lack of physical exercise and our confinement to small space of the basement.

After the stress-test incident, he allowed us to take a short half-hour nap, or what Kate called a 'cat-nap'. I stretched out in the hospital bed relieving all the kinks from this morning's jog. The nap actually helped and I felt a little more refreshed. Maybe I really could be ready for the next round of tests.

Dr. Gerardy insisted that the worst of the tests were over, and they would get better. Being pricked with needles or having blood drawn was awful and I didn't see how they could get any better especially when Dr. Gerardy wanted to see what our hand-eye coordination was like. He also admitted that he wanted us to be able to have a little 'fun'. He knew how much the stress test truly _stressed_ us out, with us panicking over not being able to breathe, and he wanted us to relax. I just didn't understand how more tests could be considered _fun_. I believed Dr. Gerardy had completely lost it and needed a new dictionary. I was later proven wrong.

Kate arrived back in our room, and looked at Alice and I sprawled across her bed. "Well if this isn't deja-vu I don't know what is. You girls always sleep like that?"

Alice and I looked to each other before nodding sheepishly. Kate just laughed before hearing something at the door. She nodded at whoever was at the door, and turned back to us seriously. "Alright, kiddos. It's time to go have some fun," Kate stated before smiling. "You'll have fun, I promise. Don't look so doubtful!"

Kate took us into the hall, where Dr. Gerardy was waiting. We followed him into the elevator and down a series of halls that made me feel like I was in a maze. We arrived at a gym that had "Candace C. Horner Physical Therapy Center" at the top. We walked through the double doors into the physical therapy center and introduced to our new physical therapist. The only word that came to mind when I saw him was _huge_. His bicep seemed almost as big as my waist, and his shoulders seemed as wide as Alice and I put together. He looked intimidating in his 6'4" hulking figure. His dark hair was little shaggy and fell into his dark eyes. Alice grabbed my hand with her right hand and held the back of Dr. Gerardy's lab coat in her left. There was no way we were staying in the room alone with this man, he was twice the size as James and we had no idea how to protect ourselves from him if we were to somehow upset him. Dr. Gerardy seemed ignorant of our fear and introduced us to our new therapist.

"Girls this is Demetri Cudmore, Demetri this is Isabella and Alice. Demetri is going to be your PT while you're with us, girls. Today, he is going to play some games with you! Have fun," Dr. Gerardy announced before he turned and left the gym. Alice's grip on his lab coat broke as he turned around. We were frozen in place as we watched Dr. Gerardy walk away. He only glanced at us briefly before looking back down to his clipboard and walking out the door. The slam of the door broke us out of our stupor. We slowly turned back to our new PT, and tried to calm our shaking forms.

Demetri had a slight smile on his face, as he walked over to the wall and grabbed a giant green ball off the shelf. He stopped a few feet away from Alice and I and gingerly sat on the ball. I was still slightly behind Alice and was squeezing the life out of her hand.

Demetri nodded toward the wall where there was a shelf of these big, round, brightly colored balls. "Grab a ball and have a seat," he instructed.

Alice slowly let go of my hand as we both walked over to the wall our eyes never leaving Demetri. I grabbed the first ball I saw which was a bright blue, Alice grabbed a shiny red one. I took the ball and sat it where Alice and I were previously standing.

The ball bounced a little, and it took me a minute before I had control. The ball was round, and obviously bouncy, how in the world did he expect us to _sit_ on them? I hesitantly looked up at Demetri. He didn't look frustrated, angry, or bored with us, but was sitting on the ball supposed to be a trick? Was this a test that he expected us to fail? With my hands on the ball, I walked around and slowly lowered myself to a sitting position. The ball gave a little with my weight and rolled a little. If I hadn't had my feet firmly on the ground, I would have had a sore rear-end as I would have surely landed sprawled out on my backside on the floor. Alice was having a little more issues, because the ball kept moving before she had a chance to sit on it. After she saw me sitting on the ball, I could tell she was flustered and starting to panic. Her shaking was increasing which wasn't helping her keep the ball steady so she may sit.

She finally managed to sit without falling and let out an audible, deep breathe. Demetri just continued to sit there and wait for us to get settled. His smirk was firmly in place and his hulking figure was lightly situated on the ball he was rolling back and forth from the movements made by his legs.

His smile fell and his face turned serious as he examined us looking at us from head to toe examining the way we held ourselves onto the giant ball. He began to make a face and a frown formed with the downturn of his eyebrows. Did we do something wrong? I thought we had followed directions. The frown upon his face suggested he was angry, which is the last thing I wanted to see.

"I know a little bit about your history, but they never said anything about any physical things you did. What kind physical activities did you get to do? Did you ever get the play with yoga balls like these?" Demetri asked while patting the ball he sat on.

I opened my mouth and closed it. This happened about three times and no words would come out. My slight tremors turned to full on shaking and I had a hard time staying situated on the blue ball. Alice was a little steadier and managed to mumble that we cleaned everyday, but had never seen any type of bouncy balls of any size before today.

Demetri 'hmmed' and closed his eyes. His body tensed up and he looked like he could easily squeeze and pop the ball he sat upon with the rage filling his body. His muscles were tense and bulging and I knew that Alice and I were on high alert. What would his next move be? Why was he so angry at us?

Alice and I were barely staying on top of the yoga balls with our anxiety, but knew to stay put until told otherwise. He would only get angrier if we didn't follow instructions correctly. We could see Demetri slowly let go of all of his tense muscles. He once again looked calm and peaceful with his eyes closed and him rocking back and forth atop the ball.

He slowly open his eyes and looked at us with a smile. His smile immediately fell when he looked at our faces.

"Oh, girls! No, no, no! I'm not angry with you please!" Demetri insisted taking a hand off the ball. With his hand raised, I could feel myself flinch. I hadn't been hit in a little while, but the instinct was still there. I opened my eyes and saw a look of horror on Demetri's face.

"Did you think I was going to hit you?" Demetri asked me. I froze again as I opened my mouth and tried to answer. No words escaped my lips.

"Isabella, I would never, ever hurt you. I'm here to help you! Do you think you two would be more comfortable if I told you a little bit about myself?" He asked looking from Alice to me. Alice sharply nodded her head, while I barely managed to move my head whatsoever.

"Well, let's see where do I start?" He began with a chuckle as he scooted his ball closer to us. I would have been more alarmed if it wasn't for the open, genuine smile upon his face. Or the way he bounced the ball underneath him. He reminded me of a little boy. "My name is Demetri Cudmore, as you know, and I was born a glorious 28 years ago. I was born and grew up in your mother's hometown, Forks."

Alice gasped as my jaw dropped. Did he know our mother before she was kidnapped too? All I could think in my head was 'how big was Washington exactly', and 'how come everyone we met was involved with our mother's family'?

Demetri smiled as he saw our reactions. "You may be wondering, but yes I did grow up with your mother and uncle. My mother worked at the university near Forks and through different events became close with your grandmother, Sue. My father actually still works for CS Inc. When my parents had me, we continued to stay close with the family. Your uncle, Sam, has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. That is why I am here. Even though you haven't met them yet, your family is already extremely protective of you."

"But- we- we aren't-" Alice started.

"But what, Alice? You guys are family, which makes _us_ practically family! Forks may be near one of the most prestigious universities in the country and biggest Medical Corporation on the west coast, but it is still a small town where everyone treats each other like family. It may be annoying when your young and everyone is in your business, but trust me you will appreciate it when you get older. I know for a fact that they will always have my back. Just like I will have theirs, and yours. Right now, you girls have a whole town that is anxious for you to spring this joint to welcome you home."

What he described sounded exactly like Mom described. Back in the basement, Forks was known as a magical place where it was a whole big family. Mom always said that she truly missed Forks and all the people in it, which was why she made up all of her stories in the magical kingdom of Forks. I loved hearing the stories about the kingdom of Forks and the different characters. The magical Princess Elizabeth who was always going on adventures with her magical unicorn Phil, were her favorite imaginative stories to tell us. When I was little I wanted to be Elizabeth and go on magical adventures. Mom talked with us more as we grew and explained that the Forks in her story was only an exaggerated version of where she truly grew up. Even though her stories became real, Forks still seemed like a magical place. I had always dreamed of going to Forks and seeing the place mom loved dearly, it was my greatest wish.

I was disturbed out of my ponderings by Alice who suddenly gasped. "You're Dema! Oh my gosh, you're in mom's stories. You're jester Dema!" Alice whispered in reverence. While the princess who went on mischievous adventures was my favorite character, Alice's favorite character was the jester Dema, who was an accident prone boy who was named court jester because all of his mishaps were so unintentionally funny.

Demetri stiffened when he heard Alice's proclamation. "No one has called me Dema since your mother." Demetri's posture slumped a little as he sadly stared back at us. His expression and posture reminded me of someone half his age, and made me question why I was ever truly afraid of him. "I'm glad she talked about me. I'm guessing since you called me 'jester' that she's told you about my many clumsy moments? She always did catch me at my worst moments."

"Well she did say that you always seemed to get into these sticky situations accidentally," Alice admitted shyly. "Mom said once you slipped on a banana peel just like in a cartoon. Is that true?"

Demetri looked embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah. It was actually at school, and none of my friends saw me fumble. Unfortunately your mother got to witness my embarrassing spectacle," He explained with a chuckle.

"S-s-so you really were close with our mom?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Sam, Kate and I used to get into so much trouble together growing up."

"Kate never mentioned you. How come?" Alice asked.

"Kate wasn't supposed to tell you guys anything about the Swans, or her, or growing up with Sam and Renée. We were told 'not to get your hopes up, in case you aren't Swans' and 'whatever happened you were traumatized enough and to let the psych professionals handle it'," He added with finger quotes. "Just looking at the two of you, I can tell that you are Swans. You both look a lot like Renée before she was taken. And if there is anything that I've learned about Swans growing up, it is that they are made of tough stuff."

"Kate really wasn't supposed to tell us anything at all about the Swans?" Alice asked after taking in everything Demetri explained.

"Yup, she was told to not reveal anything about them until the police can find Renée or get your DNA results back. Kate obviously saw your resemblance and believed your story. She broke that rule, so I decided I would too. Kate trusts and believes in you, which means that you are A-Okay in my book. Kate is like the sister I never wanted, we fight like cats and dogs. I guess you could say we always try to out-do one another. I'm not surprised she never told you about me, sometimes she tries to pretend I never existed," Demetri explained with a shrug.

After pausing for a minute to let us digest all this new information, Demetri bounce a little on his ball. "So, are you two ready to have some fun? I'm guessing you never got to truly be a kid. Well, you're in luck because that is what I'm here for. I usually work with kids over at Forks Memorial, but I'm gonna be working with you guys until you leave!"

"So, you don't normally work here?" Alice quietly asked tilting her head to the side.

"Nah! I work in Forks. I'm here at the Swan's request. Since finding out about you, they have been wary to trust strangers with your care. Do you really think they would have left you alone with me otherwise?" Demetri asked rhetorically, but that had me thinking. If what he said was correct then everyone we had met so far was a trusted part of the Forks community or a family friend. Is it possible that they could truly already care for us?

I was broken out of my thoughts by Demetri telling us about what we were going to be doing. He said that he wanted us to have fun, but also see what our hand-eye coordination and balance was like.

He had us get up from our yoga ball, and put them on the side. He pulled out a smaller, red, bouncy ball which he called a dodge ball. He said we were going to start out slow and play with a few different things to see how we would do.

We started out bouncing the red ball once one to another. It seemed easy enough, with Alice only once being over eager with her passing. Demetri, who said we could call him Dema, then pulled out another ball and hand us bounce the ball with one hand. He demonstrated the dribble and said this was an important move if we wanted to play the game of basketball. We walked and jogged up and down the room dribbling the bouncy ball. It took some concentration, but by our third pass we seemed to get better and had more control.

We did a couple more exercises including hopping on one foot, jumping while passing, juggling with scarfs, jumping rope, and even a timed three-legged race. By the end of the first half hour, Alice and I were having so much fun we forgot to be scared of Demetri. Even though he was the biggest man I had ever seen, he truly acted child-like. He never criticized us, and was extremely helpful in assisting us in each new activity. He always wore a smile and laughed freely throughout the morning. Through each new exercise he would tell us one new story of our mom growing up. It was weird hearing about what she was like from an outside perspective when she was at an age younger than we were now. Each story was light and uplifting and made the more strenuous activities go faster.

"We're nearing the end of our afternoon together," Dema said sadly.

"Oh, no! You can't leave us now, Dema! We're having fun!" Alice said exuberantly.

"I'm sorry Ali-cat, but the higher-ups said that we had to be done by 4," Dema explained. I gave Demetri the pout he taught us earlier that he said was perfected by our mom and Uncle Sam. He said that 'the pout' would guarantee them all getting whatever they wanted.

"Oh, Belli-bean, don't give me the pout! I can't handle the pout!" Dema announced dramatically. It made Alice and I giggle at his theatrics. "Ah-ha! I caught that giggle missies! My work here is officially done!" He said while pretending to brush off his shoulders.

Dema went to the wall and grabbed two of the giant yoga balls with handles. He sat them at the other end of the room and smiled at us. "One last game before we go! These are usually used for my little ones, but let's face it you guys need to use these hopper balls because you were deprived of them when you were little…little-er," Demetri proclaimed.

Alice skipped over to the pink hopper ball, while I settled down on the blue. He told us it was a race as he set up two orange cones across the room. Alice looked down at our course and got situated so that she could immediate spring once he said go. She looked at me as I looked at her and gave me smirk. "I'm going to win, little sis. Just you wait and see!"

I just giggled at her and shook my head 'no'. My sister and I had never had fun like this before. Racing, laughing, acting silly, not worrying about being too loud were things we never even considered living in James' cabin. I don't remember ever feeling so light-hearted in all of my life. Playing the games made me feel young and carefree. I didn't want this feeling to end.

I took a look down at the orange cone, and noticed movement and sound at the door. The window at the door was tinted so no one could clearly see in or out, you could only see shadows. I saw what looked like two men arguing. My concentration of what was happening outside the door was broken up by Dema's voice.

"Okay, are you ready? Get set….GO!" Dema shouted drowning out the loud outside murmurings. I immediately hopped into action.

The rhythm and power of my legs and the bounce of the ball projected me down across the room. Alice and I kept pace with one another. We were neck and neck! I had slightly more power to push with my legs, but Alice was slightly lighter and more aerodynamic and bounced farther. Basically, we evened each other out and made it a tight race.

Arrive at the end of the room the argument between the two men outside the door became clearer.

"I've told you I can't let you go in there-"

"You have NO right-"

"I have EVERY right! YOU are in MY hospital right now-"

"But they are MY-"

"I am asking you again to LEAVE, before I call security."

"I already told you I'm NOT leaving until I get to see-"

"And I already told you that the FBI is forbidding you to have contact with Isabella and Mary Alice until-"

"I don't care what the FBI says, I AM going to see my-"

"BELLA!" Dema screamed at me.

My attentiveness to the argument at the door had not gone unnoticed. I had lost my concentration in the race, but hadn't slowed my bouncing. I was so busy looking at the door that I wasn't looking at the direction I was headed in. I didn't notice that I was past the cone and was getting ready to hop right into a treadmill. I was so close that I tried to stop my forward momentum by spinning to the side mid-bounce. I closed my eyes as I felt the ball slipped from under me and land on the edge of the treadmill projecting me into the side of the exercise machine. My head landed with a crack that made me feel vibration and aftershocks through every bone in my body. I hazily opened my eyes and spotted the worried eyes of Alice and Dema. They looked so worried and sad, but I couldn't feel enough energy in me to tell them that I would be fine and that it wasn't their fault that I was so nosy. I couldn't really hear what they were saying but from years of reading Alice's lips I distinctively knew they were saying 'Bella' and 'Stay with us'.

My vision steadily got blurrier and I became more disoriented. I noticed 4 people standing over me now. I realized the other two must have been the ones who were shouting in the hallway. I looked to my left and saw Dr. Gerardy. To his right was the unknown shouter. He was as tall as Demetri, but was not quite as buff. His hair was wild like he had run his hands through it many times in worry. His hazel eyes reminded me of someone who I couldn't name at the moment in my disoriented thinking. He looked really sad and worried as he gripped the shoulder of Dr. Gerardy. I wanted to tell him to stop worrying, but I couldn't feel it in me to make any movements. I could see him mouth the words "Is she going to be okay?" before everything started to blur together and completely fade away to black.

* * *

Well... what do you think? Who do you think the person fighting with Dr. Gerardy was?

*The "prestigious university near Forks" is fake- I made it up and it's just a part of this story. It'll be mentioned more later, but it's an ivy league university...just so you know.

For chapter visuals/outfits check out the blog: insideaswan . blogspot . com (erase the spaces) :: Link on my profile page::

Please review and let me know what you think! - AJ


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Hello all! I know it's been a while...(SOOO sorry- the holidays truly kicked my butt)...but anyway, here the next chapter! I've always had a rough outline for the story and with this chapter I had trouble getting from point A to point B, so it kind of took me a while. I apologize for taking so long and hopefully you are still with me?

Thanks to those still reading and anyone who has reviewed- it truly makes my day! :)

I don't own the characters, just the plot. I am just having a bit of creative fun with S. Meyer's characters!

* * *

**Unexpected**

The first thing I noticed was the constant pounding and pressure radiating from the front of my forehead. The pain was the only thing my mind was able to concentrate on and it made it difficult for my brain to think of anything else. My mind seemed hazy and slow, which alerted me to the fact that I must have a concussion. I've been diagnosed with many head wounds and concussions in the past, so I was no stranger to the consistent throbbing. The radiating pain was reminiscent of the times when I've had 'accidents' in the basement where I hit my head on the basement concrete wall or floor. Whenever Dr. Banner asked what happened, James always insisted I was extremely clumsy, especially around the old stairs leading into the basement. Victoria would always stand there and snicker. I always wondered if the doctor bought his explanation or if he just didn't care. Either way, it was usually the only time I was given Advil or Motrin, and what a blessing it was.

I could remember the fighting, yelling, and then accidentally falling into the exercising equipment. I must have hit my head extremely hard, because everything after that was hazy. I could feel the sheets surrounding me and I knew that I was back in my hospital bed. I attempted to wiggle my fingers, but immediately realized what a bad idea that was. Any slight movement sent waves of pain shooting through my skull. I held my breath and tried my hardest not to move a muscle. I immediately noticed a beeping noise escalate from somewhere to the left of me.

Beeping? Was I hooked up to some kind of machine? The surprise of the loud beeping caused me to inadvertently take a deep breath which forced my lungs to inflate and my upper body to expand slightly. I was unprepared for the explosion of throbbing pain being emitted from my head, spreading to every limb. The haziness I woke up to was replaced with red, hot searing ache. I could feel my heart beat speeding up and I unknowingly whimpered from the agony. Someone in the room must have taken notice of my pain because I could hear movement near my bed.

"Oh, poor dear. You must be in pain. Not to worry, the meds will soon be working," said a feminine voice coming from the left of the bed.

My mind was too bogged down to concentrate on the voice. I was still trying my hardest not to move, or else I would have opened my eyes to see if I recognized the doctor or nurse talking to me. My heartbeat gradually slowed back to normal. My slow, shallow breaths started to become easier, and I could feel everything start to become numb. I could feel myself slipping over the dark edge, before falling into nothingness.

~BaS~BaS~BaS~BaS~BaS~BaS~BaS~BaS~

I don't know how much time had passed before I was gradually forced back into consciousness. I could hear voices and music, which I assumed was coming from the television. I could only guess that Kate or Siobhan had put the T.V. on for Alice. I hesitantly wiggled my toes and fingers without opening my eyes. I could still feel a dull throb coming from my head, but I was able to push past it and ignore it. It was not as overwhelming as earlier and I was incredibly grateful for whatever pain medication they had me on. The pain was usually more severe for a few days after, but I could tell it hadn't been that long.

I suddenly heard a soft giggle coming from the end of my bed. I didn't recognize the laugh. I knew it wasn't Alice, Kate, or Siobhan's because it was too high-pitched and childlike. It reminded me of chimes or bells in its fluid musical tone, and somehow made me feel unexpectedly peaceful instead of alarmed over my unknown intruder. I slowly opened my eyes and could see a little girl lying across the foot of my bed. I gasped, and she looked up at me with startling green eyes. She looked around the age of 10 or 11 and I was immediately reminded of Ellie and Lyla. I knew from her appearance that it wasn't one of them, and I was almost angry at myself for being disappointed in having a visitor.

The girl sat up and faced me with a huge smile upon her face. "Hello Bella! Welcome back to the world of the living. I was wondering how long you were going to sleep!" She giggled. "I've already watched two episodes of Good Luck Charlie _and_ an episode of Sponge Bob!" She announced with such enthusiasm that made me want to smile.

I frowned in confusion. Sponge Bob? And did my grandfather have a T.V. show I didn't know about? I looked at the little girl at the end of my bed. Was I supposed to know this little girl? Did we somehow meet, and I forgot. The throbbing in my head reminded me that I probably had a concussion, but my last memory was a fight outside the PT center, playing with the bouncy balls, Demetri screaming, and unintentionally flying into the treadmill. I couldn't remember anything after that.

I bit my lip in concentration and looked up into the little girl's hopeful face. She was a stunning young girl with her cooper colored hair, angelic face, and cute button nose. Her physical appearance was incredibly distinctive. I would have surely remembered her, right? I opened my mouth to admit that I had no clue _who_ she was before I was interrupted by Kate walking into the room.

She looked over at the little girl and frowned, before seeing me awake and rushing over to the side of the bed. "Oh, Belli-bean, I'm so glad you are finally awake!" Kate exclaimed emotionally.

I guessed Demetri or Alice had told her about his silly nickname that he insisted I be called. I was about to open my mouth to reply, when the little girl interjected. "Calm down, Katie! She just woke up!"

Kate stopped fawning over me and sharply turned to the girl. They had a familiarity with one another and I could only assume they knew each other well.

"Carlie, what in the world are you doing in here? There has been tight security 'round here lately, and I want to know how you got past!" Kate said seriously with a raised eyebrow and arms crossed.

Carlie shrugged, "It was easy really. All I had to do was say that I was here to visit my sister and they let me right in?" She started of confidently but after seeing Kate's expression finished it off as a question hoping to avoid trouble.

Kate sighed, "You've been hanging out with Em too much. Everyone has been looking for you for the past hour. If I wasn't so worried about what your parents will say once they find out where you've been, I would say that I was impressed with your evil scheming and sneakiness in getting into this room. Em is gonna be pissed you got to stay in here with Bella, while he was kicked out."

I looked at Carlie and saw her wincing. She looked down and started fiddling with the bottom of her t-shirt. "Em will get over it, but how upset do you think dad will be?"

"Extremely. Didn't your dad _and_ Uncle C tell you that no one was allowed to see the girls and that you were to stay with Rose?"

"Yeah…but Rosie said that Bella and Alice must be scared about being all alone in the hospital. I know when I'm scared I want my mom, but Rosie said their mom isn't here. So I brought the next best thing, Mr. Bear!" Carlie exclaimed bringing a stuffed teddy-bear to her lap that was lying on the bed behind her. She looked down at her bear before quickly handing it me.

"Oops. Sorry, I was supposed to give you this to make you feel better." Carlie said looking sheepish. I was genuinely touched that she offered me her bear.

I took the worn out bear and hugged it close. I could tell it was old and well-loved. I brought it up to my nose and rubbed my face in the soft fur. The bear smelt faintly of cinnamon, orange, and something comforting that I couldn't name. I had always wanted a teddy-bear like this. Mom was always so sad that we never had all the toys, dolls, and stuffed animals she had while growing up, so she would usually help us draw them instead. Actually holding the bear in my arms was so much better than any picture that I could draw. I decided then that Carlie was right, hugging Mr. Bear did make me feel better. I smiled at Carlie, and looked at Kate who stood there shaking her head with a smile on her face.

"Kate, Mr. Bear does make me feel better." I announced softly with a scratchy voice. I swallowed and tried to talk again. "Thank you, Carlie," I said softly.

Carlie beamed back at me with a wide smile. Kate couldn't help but giggle. "Alright little miss, I know you want to stay but to save your little butt from further punishment, I suggest you go find your dad before he has a stroke."

Carlie's green eyes widened as she hopped off the bed. She came to the side of my hospital bed and softly squeezed my hand. "Thanks for letting me stay with you Bella. I hope you feel better."

When she let go and she was ushered out the room back to her parents by Kate, I realized I never gave her Mr. Bear back. "Wait!" I cried holding out the bear.

She turned to me and smirked. "I want you to keep Mr. Bear for a while. He'll take good care of you!" She claimed confidently with a nod of her head. She turned back around and skipped out the room.

Kate closed the door after her and turned back to me with a sigh. "That kid has endless energy, and I have no idea where it came from."

I giggled at her statement because I had always thought Kate had lots of energy. I imagined Kate was a lot like Carlie when she was that age. Carlie's youthful enthusiasm made me smile and wish for my own sisters, which reminded me that I hadn't seen Alice since I had woken up. I bit my lip, wondering if I should ask or not. Kate must have taken notice because she came and sat on the side of my bed.

"I'm sure you noticed Alice isn't here," Kate started. I just nodded my head, as she was right that I was questioning where Alice was. "Well, after your accident Alice had a panic attack of sorts, and the doctors thought it was prudent to start therapy. She's having her first session right now. They almost had to sedate her to leave the room! You are lucky to have a sister that loves you that much. We've all been really worried!" Kate squeezed my hand and I squeezed back. I was overwhelmed with the thought that someone besides my sister actually cared that I was harmed. It was a new unexpected feeling that I wasn't sure how to handle.

Carlie seemed really genuine when she wished for me to get better. I had never met that little girl before today and yet she seemed to care about me anyway. Who was she? Before I could ponder over it anymore I blurted out my question without much thought. "Kate, who is Carlie?" I asked.

She smiled at me softly. "I sometimes forget that you don't know everyone yet. Carlie is a Cullen, and my little cousin. Her parents are Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Do you remember me telling you about my family?"

I just shook my head yes, but hoped she would elaborate anyway. "Well as you know the Cullens and Swans go way, way back. With our families together, it makes us kinda like a big, huge, combined-but-not-fully-related family. My mom, Elizabeth, is Carlisle's older sister, but he also has an older brother named Alistair. Alistair has 3 kids, my mom has me, and Carlisle has four kids who are mostly closer to your age. To save you some confusion though, just know that out of Carlisle and Esme's four kids, you just met the youngest of the bunch."

Kate sighed and then squeezed my hand again. "I don't think you realize how much you are loved already. We've missed Renée so much, and after finding out about you and Alice, we've found hope again. We _will_ find her, and we _will_ all be together again. But until then, you have a family that loves and supports you."

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt Kate's hand come up and brush away the tears on my cheek. Her eyes were teary as she then fanned herself while giggling. "Whew, that was heavy and emotional. I promise not to make you cry anymore. Just know that I'm here if you need anything."

"Thanks Kate," I whispered quietly.

"You're welcome Belli-bean. Now, what shall we do until-" Kate started but was interrupted by the door banging open. Siobhan came marching in with Alice tucked into her side. Alice was huddled close to Siobhan with tears streaming silently down her face. I looked to Siobhan to see if she knew what happened, and gasped when I saw the rage on Siobhan's face. It honestly frightened me and put me on high alert. I instinctively wanted to get up from bed to defend and protect my sister from the anger displayed on Siobhan's face. I was delayed when I fully sat up and felt myself sway under the pain and pressure from my still concussed head.

"They are NOT talking to any damn psychologist, psychiatrist, whomever! I won't allow anyone to talk to them unless it's Carmen!" Siobhan announced. Kate had gotten up from the bed and went to Alice's other side. The two of them maneuvered and situated Alice into her bed. They were extremely gentle with her, as if she was a china doll. She was shaking and softly whimpering. I wanted nothing more than to go to her, but I still had an IV in my left hand and was pinned down by the pain radiating from my head.

Alice's eyes were squeezed shut, so I could not read what she was thinking. Whatever happened must have been bad if Alice was having a flashback. Siobhan couldn't keep still and was pacing back and forth in front of our beds grumbling to herself.

"Siobhan, what happened?" Kate asked softly. She was gently brushing Alice's hair back and away from her forehead.

"I just don't understand why they were acting like that! She's a person, not a lab rat, and not a fucking criminal!" Siobhan exclaimed. She reminded me of a wild animal with her aggressive movements. I had never seen her like that and from past experience I knew I had to be cautious of her. I kept silent as I watched her every movement. I was trying to be invisible.

Kate got up and stopped in front of Siobhan. She held Siobhan's shoulders and looked into her eyes. "What happened?" Kate said again. "You are scaring Alice and Bella with your anger. Look, they are shaking! You need to calm down," Kate said quietly.

Siobhan apologetically looked back at me and I could see the Siobhan I knew shine through her eyes. Maybe I didn't have to fear her?

She let out a groan and her demeanor slouched slightly. "I'm sorry, Bella. I'm not upset with you or Ali, I'm just angry at the doctors."

Siobhan sighed and came around and sat at the edge of Alice's bed. Alice still hadn't moved and was curled up on the bed with her eyes squeezed shut. I could tell she wasn't with us at the moment because she was having a severe flashback. I knew that I had to let the images just play out. She was reliving some memory and I knew interrupting her when she was like this only made things much worse. She was rarely so lost in her head that she ignored her surroundings, and it made me fearful of whatever happened with her therapy session.

Siobhan looked back at Kate and started explaining, "She got ambushed. It wasn't a therapy session with one of the hospital doctors or Carmen! The FBI "psychologists" were here and they insisted on speaking with Alice first. They assured me they could handle the therapy but they basically interrogated Alice. The therapy session she was _supposed_ to have turned into some kind of criminal investigation!"

There were several gasps including my own. I was surprised they would interview her today and only her. Were they going to interrogate me as well? Why did they treat her like a criminal? I looked at Alice and wished she wasn't going through the agony of her memories. There were only a few times that I could remember, that Alice got like this. I really wanted to know what happened and what caused her to withdraw so far into herself that no one could reach her. I wished there was more that I could do to help her.

Siobhan sighed before continuing, "They had her in one of the meeting rooms we use for the hospital board meetings! When I asked why she wasn't down where they handle the psych therapy, one of the men told me to butt out! I tried to get them to let me stay in the room, because I knew she'd be more comfortable, but they kicked me out anyway! There were 4 men sitting at a table with Alice and I don't even know what they talked about. I know it couldn't have been good because I heard her scream after about 40 minutes."

Siobhan paused before crossing her arms protectively. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them she had a soft expression as she looked upon Alice's curled up form. "When I opened the door she was huddled in the corner, shaking with tears streaming down her face. One of the FBI 'psychologists' was standing above her with a clipboard, and another was reaching out to try and touch her. I'm guessing in comfort, but the expression on his face and the way he was standing over her…I'm not going to lie; I kind of lost my cool. I yelled at them and then marched her out of there as quickly as I could. Dr. Gerardy was up here checking Bella's charts, but if he was down there I know he wouldn't have wanted Alice to stay in there. It's not good physically or mentally, especially after her panic-attack earlier. Why they decided to talk with her today after everything that happened with Bella's accident, I will never know or understand. They just seemed so cold and unfeeling…so cruel. I thought the FBI was supposed to protect not harm. Haven't they been through enough?"

Siobhan seemed to deflate after her speech. Kate sighed as Siobhan finished her tirade and grasped Siobhan's shoulder. "What's with these girls getting the worst doctors around?" Kate asked sarcastically trying to lighten the mood. "You guys must be trouble magnets. You've had such rotten luck so far!"

All I could do was agree. It seemed as if all my life I've had a series of bad luck. There was nothing we could really do about the circumstances, so Alice and I learned to just deal with it.

Kate and Siobhan eventually left Alice and I alone after bringing us dinner, so that they could make their rounds to their other patients. All night Alice stayed unresponsive to Dr. Gerardy, Kate, and Siobhan every time they stopped by our room. Their last round of the night Kate and Siobhan hugged her unresponsive, solid form and Siobhan apologized for leaving her in the room alone. Alice never moved a single muscle and was still curled up in a ball with her back to me. She was unmoving and if it wasn't for her shallow breaths I would question if she was still breathing. I had only been awake for a few hours since my accident and I already missed my sister. I wished for any sort of communication with her. I wanted to know what was floating through her mind, and I wanted her to share the burden. Even though I could read Alice better than anyone, I knew that there were a few things to this day that she still kept from me. She was my big sister and my greatest protector.

At around 11, the night nurse stopped by and adjusted my pain medication which left me floating into unconsciousness.

Sometime in the middle of the night I was awoken by a warm body to my right. Alice was back.

I opened my eyes and looked into her red-rimmed, sorrow filled eyes. Even through my groggy state, I could tell just by looking into her eyes that the FBI interview did not go well, she was worried about my accident, and that she'd had a dream-vision which she needed to talk about it.

"What happened, Ali?" I whispered, trying not to disturb the peace of the night.

"I saw you crash into the treadmill like it was in slow motion." She started with tears filling her eyes. "I couldn't stop you and there was nothing I could do!"

Her tears were streaming down her face as she huddled closer to me on the hospital bed. She squeezed my hands, pulling me closer to her with our joined hands between the two of us.

"Shh… there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. It was my fault for not paying attention. I was nosy and trying to hear the fight going on in the hallway," I explained while squeezing Alice's hands back.

"I know. I could hear it too, which made me pause by the little cone. You just kept going though! You didn't stop! When you crashed we must have yelled because Dr. Gerardy and Emmett came storming in." She paused. "Even though it was under bad circumstances, I got to meet Emmett," Alice continued with a small smile.

I couldn't help but smile back. "Yeah? I thought I saw him before I blacked out. What's he like?"

"He's huge, B! Almost Dema huge! I mean way taller and more muscular than James! But even though he's huge, he's a big teddy-bear like Demetri. He was so upset about your accident, and when I started having a panic attack he begged to stay and helped calm me down. He just sat with me whispering that I would be okay and brushing my hair back. He reminded me a little of mom, B. I only got to spend a few minutes with him before some of the other doctors escorted him out, but I think you will like him," Alice said excitedly.

"I'm sure I will. Kate seems to like him," I whispered.

Alice looked at me for a beat before sighing, "I was really scared and worried at first that he would be like James. I don't know why I had this underlying fear that he would be this mean, cruel guy especially because he was fighting with Dr. Gerardy, but he was almost in tears when they took you away on a stretcher. Before they made him leave, he gave me a soft hug and said he was so happy to meet me, and couldn't wait to see you. He wasn't allowed to stay with me in the room before my appointment, but Kate said he waited in the family waiting room to hear about your condition. He genuinely cares Bell, and it kind of amazes me."

I looked at Alice and softly smiled at her. I told her about waking up and finding Carlie at the foot of my bed watching television. I showed her Mr. Bear and how I felt so cared for when Carlie loaned him to me until I felt better. I explained what Kate said about the Cullens and Swans all waiting somewhere in the hospital to find out information about our well-being. Alice was as shocked as I was to find out so many people, who we never met before, cared about us.

"I really hope Carlie didn't get in trouble for being in here with me." I whispered my fear to Alice.

"I'm sure she didn't. You said that Kate seemed more amused than mad, so I'm sure the others will be too," Alice reassured me.

"Why do you think they are so strict about keeping the Swans away?" I asked Alice quietly.

"I asked Siobhan that earlier, and she said Dr. Gerardy is in charge and seems to really want to follow the rules strictly by the book. He wants us to be psychologically and physically well before we meet them. According to Kate, our discovery is a really big deal, and since he's our doctor he feels responsible for us. He really wants to make sure we are physically and psychological sound before adding family into the mix. He wanted us to st-start th-th-therapy first," Alice stumbled over the last sentence as she thought back over this afternoon.

"What happened with the FBI, Ali?" I asked quietly as I gripped her hand. I brought Mr. Bear between our arms which brought out a small smile from Alice.

Alice looked into my eyes briefly before squeezing them tight. I tightened my grip on her hand that was on Mr. Bear and waited for her to open her eyes and begin.

"They didn't beat around the bush when they started the questioning. After thinking about it, I believe they were just FBI agents because they didn't seem anything like what we read about psychologists. They all seemed more like a really tough and cruel versions of Boss. They had clipboards in front of them with what I suspected to be the questions they were supposed to ask and get answers to. When I entered the room they all seemed to study me, like I was an experiment or something. It made me nervous and anxious because I wasn't sure what to think or what they were expecting. It made me feel like everything I did was wrong, but I had no clue how I was supposed to act. It was like I was unknowingly being given a test. They just sat there and studied me. Then it actually did become a test and they started their questioning," Alice paused as she took a deep breath before continuing.

"The guy with the glasses started off with the easy questions. He asked my name, date of birth, the name of our parents, where we grew up, what we had to eat, and if I knew of any allergies I had. Some of the regular questions we got asked earlier. The guy with the bald head then picked up the questioning and the questions got harder. He asked about our daily routine, what I knew of James and Victoria's daily routine, what I knew of the twins, and if I knew of any other children that mom had. I told them everything I knew, but for some reason they started acting like I was lying. The guy with the dark blond hair and beard seemed angry and kept asking what I knew of the other children. I told him about asking to go outside, the broken glass, and how he took the _twins_ away to punish me. It got me upset and I started crying. It was really weird. My crying seemed to make him happier. He got more excited and more persistent, while the other three just watched," Alice paused and I could see the tears streaming down her face. I reached up and quietly wiped them away and waited for her to regain her bearings.

Alice sniffled again and then sighed. "It just got worse from there. H-he got up from his side of the table and perched himself next to me. He was looking down at me and even though he only resembled James a little, with his blond hair and blue eyes, his demeanor reminded me so much of James. It was the cocky look in his eye like he had me trapped with no way of escape. He seemed to find joy in my nervousness and pain. He started asking me questions about James, Victoria or their 'acquaintances' and if they ever harmed me. I answered truthfully and said yes. He then wanted me to explain. So I stumble through a few instances," Alice paused and took a deep breath. This was really hard for her. "But it wasn't good enough for him. He kept yelling at me to explain and I tried. But it just wasn't good enough," she said with a whimper.

Alice was shaking at this point as she gripped me. I could tell that when she closed her eyes she was back in the room being interrogated, so I kept my grip on her and shook her every time she closed her eyes. I knew I had to keep her grounded and with me until she finished her story or she might have another flashback. I had to keep her with me.

After a few minutes she seemed to calm down a little. She looked a me for a few moments before continuing with a sigh. "I told him about the time I bumped into Victoria in the kitchen which caused her to spill her drink. She caused a racket and made James punish me. Do you remember?" Alice asked quietly.

I nodded at her and she continued with a more detached voice. "He had me lean over the kitchen stool and whipped me 10 times with his belt. Then had me kneel and beg for Victoria's forgiveness. I told the FBI that and do you know what the blonde guy said? He asked me 'did I think I deserved it'. " I gripped Alice's hand. Who were these guys from the FBI? Was this normal procedure? It really worried and frightened me how much they acted and sounded like James. Mom promised us no one was as cruel as James. All these instances with these mean people since our escape from the cabin, had me questioning whether mom was right or not.

Alice could see my thought process from the look on my face. She just nodded at me as she continued, "He reminded me so much of James, that when I closed my eyes all I could see was James' ice blue eyes staring down at me enraged. I'm not quite sure what happened after that. I felt like I was back in the cabin and nothing had changed. It scared me Bell. They still haven't found James, so what would happen if he came back? What would he do to us? Would he take us back to the cabin or kill us? What-"

"Shhh Ali," I interrupted her. She was starting to get a little hysterical and I knew her unanswered questions would be lingering in her mind long after our conversation was over. They still couldn't find him and I knew it was because he somehow always got himself out of sticky situations. I knew that logically he couldn't get to us, but I still had my doubts and fears.

"James is one of the most wanted men on the west coast. His picture has been on the nightly news. I think it would take a lot for him to get to us right now, especially because Kate said they stepped up security around the hospital. Plus Ali, he doesn't have Victoria with him! Everyone knows she was the brains behind all their master plans." I concluded.

"But he had you, B." Alice cried remorsefully.

"What are you talking about Alice?" I asked curiously. He obviously didn't have me, so I had no clue what she was talking about.

"In my dream. He had you tied up in a bedroom and gagged. You were alone and it was dark. He wasn't in the room with you but I could hear him nearby on the phone with someone angrily yelling." Alice said quietly with tears running down her face. I could tell that this was a really intense dream-vision. What worried me was the fact that it was so clear, which always usually meant it had a greater chance of happening. The clearer the dream meant the clearer the future.

"What was I doing? What was he saying Al? Why did he have only me? Where were you?" I asked worriedly. If this was the future I faced, then I wanted to be prepared. Maybe if I was prepared with a plan I could change what happens. Maybe.

Alice closed her eyes before opening them at speaking, "You were in a room. I can't tell where because it was too dark. You were silently crying on the bed and you were wearing a dress. Your hair was curled and pinned up." She paused as she grinned really widely at me. Of course she would focus on that! Alice always wanted to play dress up with pretty dresses and jewelry. She wished she was able to experiment with the makeup that was always advertised in her fashion magazines. I was never interested in hearing about 'the latest trends' or 'new make-up techniques' so she must have been happily shocked to see me dressed that way in her dream. It looked like Alice was going to be playing Bella-barbie in the near future. I narrowed my eyes at her giddiness of me wearing a dress and gestured for her to continue. She quickly wiped the smirk off her face as she once again became serious.

"Your hands were tied behind your back, and you were trying to use some bracelet on your wrist to cut the rope. The door to the living area was cracked which let in a sliver of light into the room. You watched him pace back and forth somewhere in front of the door. The only sounds were of his frantic pacing before his phone rings. He said some things that I couldn't understand, but what I did catch was 'I couldn't get the others', and 'You have until Monday!' Then there was a slam before everything became completely dark and quiet. I've gone over it, over and over again. Trying to find more details. I know we can change this. I won't let him take you, Bell!" Alice vehemently exclaimed.

I took a deep breath as I contemplated what the dream meant. As much as I wished her freaky dream-visions weren't real, she usually had amazing accuracy. If only she had seen what had led to me being taken in the first place. I knew that little fact will haunt Alice, and I'll be lucky if she'll ever leave my side again.

After all the events that happened today and Alice's vision, of three things I was certain: 1- Emmett, the Swans, and the Cullens are a big family that already deeply care about Alice and I; 2- The Swans were right to not trust Aro's minions in the FBI because after Alice's interrogation, the FBI is not to be fully trusted; and 3- James is not going to just let us go, he _will_ be back.

* * *

AN: Well, Bella is awake! We get a glimpse of Emmett, meet our first Cullen (Carlie), and learn about Alice's experience with the FBI and her dream vision... next up: meeting the Swans! :)

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Thanks for reading! ~AJ


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